Lawyers and Businessmen
by opalove
Summary: This is the story of a certain feared and yet respected corporate lawyer, Haruhi Ootori and her husband the shrewdest businessman of all times, Kyouya Ootori and how they fell in love. Kyouya sighed "you sure are going to be one hell of lawyer… but I am a businessman Haruhi, I don't simply give my consent to everyone's demands you know"
1. Chapter 1

This is the story of a certain feared and most respected corporate lawyer Haruhi Ootori and her husband,the shrewdest businessman of all times- Kyouya Ootori!

**Sunday evening:**

Haruhi sat there on her couch, quite pleased with herself. She was able to do the laundry and all her household chores, not to mention all her assignments that were only due three weeks from now. This might ensure that she has plenty of time (which she never seemed to have with the endless hours of dealing with Tamaki's insanity and the escaping the twins' annoying pranks and clinginess and hosting some frivolous minded girls who all thought that she was a boy) for revision before the exam. To top it all she was currently having some quite time for herself, relaxing on her couch, drinking coffee and listening to music, without having to worry about her ever increasing debt for the first time ever since she started high school.

This was perhaps the only weekend that she had ever been able to rest peacefully ever since the day she stepped into the host club. It's not like she didn't like the host club, in fact she had the most wonderful time there with her friends who were a weird bunch to say nonetheless, but sometimes she liked to spend her weekend (especially after a hectic week that left her physically and emotionally drained) in the quite comfort and cosiness that her apartment offered. She was really surprised that there was not one phone call or a message or sudden popping of the hosts at her place for two whole peaceful days. Somehow she knew this was kyouya's doing.

"Take rest. You deserve it" he had whispered in her ear before pushing her towards Tamaki. She was really surprised when Kyouya intercepted and led her away across the dance floor though she knew it was to rile up Tamaki. She was graced with one of his genuine smile. She felt warm and secure dancing there in his arms and looking into his eyes that betrayed his emotions unlike his face. At that moment, she felt at peace with herself and she could tell from his somewhat loose and languid movements, as opposed to his usual graceful and crisp ones, that he was feeling the same way. She could sense genuine care when he had whispered those words but she knew that he would never admit it to as such. It was not only his actions and plans that were kept behind the shadows but also his kind heart. She really shuddered at the thought of what Kyouya might have done to keep the rest of the hosts from troubling her this weekend. The possibilities were endless but somehow she couldn't bring herself to pity her friends but she rather felt grateful to Kyouya.

But like every good thing Sunday had to end she had to return back to her crazy high school life at Ouran high school.

It was not that she didn't know the feelings that Tamaki and Hikaru had for her. It was just that she didn't want to deal with it right now. For the first time in her life she had opened up to the members of the host club. She was fond of each and every one of them in spite of their craziness or evilness as in Kyouya's case. She didn't want to ruin the friendship that she had with each and every one of them and their so called 'family' after all she was just a new addition to their club. So she pretended to be oblivious. She was really thankful that at least Kaoru was mature enough; he had moved on just to help his brother. She could tell that Hikaru had already come to terms with his feelings for her. Making him understand that the feelings she has for him was only platonic, would be one hell of a job. Tamaki was oblivious, but if Kyouya had anything to say about it, he was not going to remain that way for long. Kyouya pulled all the strings creating opportunities for Tamaki to stay close to her. She was both amused and annoyed with what Kyouya was doing. She knew that he was helping his best friend, that she respected but what she couldn't stand was that he was also trying to manipulate her emotions to make her fall for Tamaki. Every conversation between them was gradually veered towards Tamaki and he even created certain situations that would make her turn to Tamaki for help. She knew that Okinawa beach incident was one such incident because somehow she couldn't rule out Tamaki's sudden appearance asking for lotion as a coincidence. Well if he had thought that she would run screaming right into the arms of Tamaki, then he surely got the shock of his life. She had hoped that he would stop interfering after the incident. But he wouldn't be an Ootori if he just quit after a small backfire of his plan (he still did leave her there alone with Tamaki). Damn, he was persistent. That's why she had decided to drop a subtle hint. So, when he pushed her towards Tamaki, she turned her head and gave him a look that clearly said 'I know what you're up to and it is not going to work' knowing that Kyouya would catch its meaning.

She couldn't help but smile, Kyouya was the most confusing person she had ever met. Just moments ago she felt grateful to him, but now she felt like wringing his neck. At least she hoped that Kyouya would take the hint and stopped meddling. Little did she know that Kyouya had other plans!

* * *

><p>He was practically exhausted after the Ouran fair. What with carrying on with the hosting even after the Tamaki's announcement of club's disbanding and amassing of the funds to buy his father's medical equipment company just moment before the Grand Tonnerre could get their hands on it, that was a close call. And speaking of close calls, so was keeping the host club intact in spite of the stupid decision taken by the hay brained Tamaki to leave them and go back to France with that Éclair girl.<p>

Lying on the bed, he couldn't help but think how his life took a complete turnover this week.

He had never ever imagined that he would return the company back to his dad not even moments before he had bought the company. But when he had bought it, somehow giving all the managerial rights back to his dad seemed the only best thing to do.

For the first time in life he didn't weigh the possibilities, didn't calculate, plan or speculate, he just did what he wanted to do and that was technically handing over the responsibility of running the company to his father. He knew that this act alone was tantamount to declaring that he no longer wanted to be the heir of the Ootori zaibatsu. Perhaps it was not his aim in the first place; if it was then it would have given him the satisfaction. He was completely satisfied only when he gave up on it. Just this realization alone set him free. Free of everything that was binding him. This freedom made him the master of his own will.

He felt no regrets whatsoever in giving back the company to his father, somehow Haruhi's words when she defended him in front of his father seemed to hold more meaning then becoming the heir to the Ootori zaibatsu. What she had done meant a lot to him, and that's why he had wanted to thank her. Just as her words, her mere presence too was soothing to him. When he took her hand and led her across the dance floor, he felt at ease with himself. Something about just dancing there with her made him content. She was clearly exhausted, yet she danced with all of them just because she didn't want to ruin others' fun. That was one of the things he liked about her, she unconsciously tried her best to make everyone happy around her. Though her face showed fatigue her eyes reflected radiance that made her the natural host that she was. That's when he decided that he would grant her a quiet and peaceful weekend free of any antics or dramatics that the lunatics from the host club could spew. After all that she had done, she deserved some much needed rest. That was his way of thanking her.

Haruhi was one of the most intriguing person that he had ever met. She was so simple and predictable and yet, whenever he thought that he knew everything that was there to know about her she would go and do the least expected or the most unpredictable thing.

The beach incident at Okinawa taught him that much. He had planned the entire scenario. When Haruhi was brought to his room he immediately texted Tamaki asking him to come to his room to get some lotion for his sunburns which might mar his fair skin, if not dealt with immediately. He knew that Tamaki's vanity would bring him from the other end of his wing straight to his room within a few minutes. Then he set upon scaring Haruhi, which much to his amusement didn't go the way he expected to. At that moment, he realised that if she could see right through him and call on his bluff, then trying to manipulate her emotions would be a futile attempt.

So he made sure that both Haruhi and Tamaki spent most of the time together and expected them would fall in love due to mutual attraction and he could see that eventually Haruhi started shying away from Tamaki and blushed whenever he got near her. He was glad that his plan was going well, that was until he saw the look that Haruhi gave him when he pushed her towards Tamaki after the dance in the Ouran fair. It was a chiding look that one gave a child that repeated the same mistake from time to time. He instinctively knew that Haruhi was never oblivious to the feelings that Tamaki and Hikaru bore for her. She chose to rather ignore them; probably because she didn't want the host club to be torn apart because of her. He had given her a bow indicating that he had got the message.

She had indeed dealt with those two idiots in a subtle and clever way and heck she even fooled him into believing that she was falling for must have purposefully blushed or shied away from Tamaki because his attraction towards Haruhi had risen in the first place because he couldn't sway her with his overflowing romantic crap unlike the other girls. So, if she gave him what he expected, then he wouldn't bother her too much. In fact, that did work well, whenever she blushed because of him, Tamaki unconsciously felt satisfied and moved on to other things. No wonder he has been oblivious to his feelings for so long. But if she had done the same things to the twins they would have stuck to her like leeches, as both Hikaru and Kaoru got a thrill out of getting a reaction from others. So if she reacted to their antics they would immediately pounce on her, But as long as she remained passive, they would get bored and move on to other things.

And she called him the Shadow king! Now that he knew it, he couldn't wait for the week ahead.

* * *

><p><strong>Monday<strong>

Walking in the corridor, after her lecture in a some kind of a twisted group hug apparently squished between Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru, Haruhi couldn't help but sigh. The Gods weren't too lenient with her ever, were they? For all the rest that she had during the weekend, she was currently going through hell itself. "Hikaru for god's sake you've an injured arm" she yelled which came out as muffled squeak. The twins and Tamaki were literally hauling her from one class to another. As to How Tamaki sempai showed up after her every class and literally walked her to the next class, she had no idea. Well, maybe she had some idea. She was currently cursing her intelligent and scheming sempai under her breath, for it was his fault that Tamaki sempai had gotten hold of her time table. So the five minutes of her sane life between walking to different classes was snatched away from her as well.

The only consoling thing about her entire clammy situation (seriously how do they expect her to breathe if they squish her from all sides) was that Tamaki seemed his usual obnoxious and overbearing self, seemingly having forgotten the entire Éclair scenario. The only change in his behaviour that was apparent was that he had somehow stopped calling her his daughter.

The hosts were in the cafeteria during their lunch break. Haruhi sat or rather was made to sit almost squished between Tamaki and Hikaru. Kaoru was sitting besides Hikaru and the other hosts were sitting opposite to them. Haruhi couldn't keep her anger in check, the cause of all the insanity that she went through today was sitting across the table in his usual poised and elegant manner working on his laptop. She had expected him to quit helping Tamaki but apparently quitting was something the Ootori never did. Thus she was bent on getting her revenge.

Kyouya couldn't help but flinch from the amount of death glares he was getting from Haruhi. He knew that Haruhi would be mad at him for giving her schedule to Tamaki. But now that seemed an understatement, she looked like she was out for murder. As soon as he realised that Haruhi chose to ignore Tamaki's feelings for her in favour of the host club, he knew he had to bring the big guns down because Tamaki hardly had a chance of winning her heart when she turned out to be capable of manipulating people as well as Kyouya himself.

The way Haruhi was looking at him, made him uneasy. He had pretty much inferred from previous experiences that an angered Haruhi was a force to reckon with( which was also confirmed by her father, who still had a scar from an incident when he had forced her to wear a pink poufy dress that she didn't like and that was just when she was just eight years old!). 'Well, this could be interesting' he thought.

"Tamaki sempai, what are the classes that you take. I think it would give me a fair idea of what I can take during my second year. Do you have your schedule?" at this all the hosts turned towards Haruhi. Tamaki was glowing almost like a beacon and declared rather dramatically for Haruhi's tastes "anything to help my Haruhi" (Haruhi chose to ignore his statement). Kaoru was wondering as to why Haruhi would ask Tamaki about something related to studies when there was Kyouya. Hikaru just huffed and crossed his arms.

Hunny and Mori didn't like where this was going. After the Ouran fair incident Kyouya was determined to get Tamaki to realise his feelings and provide him with better opportunities at winning Haruhi's heart. Unfortunately the usually oblivious Haruhi seemed to have picked on this and was getting angrier at Kyouya with each passing moment.

"Ne Takashi, I somehow don't think Haru-chan was oblivious to the feelings others had for her, after all." Hunny whispered into Mori's ear. Mori just nodded.

She knew that Tamaki and Kyouya had opted for the same modules with a few exceptions. Kyouya had opted for advanced maths and physics classes, fortunately for her she knew where they were held. 'Now as soon as I gets my hands on it, I'll slip it into the locker of all the host club regulars saying that if they want the latest photo books of the hosts during Ouran fair, they must place an order before the opening of the host club personally with Kyouya and that should do the trick. Then he'll know at least to some extent what I have been going through since this morning.' She thought

As Tamaki was digging into his bag to retrieve his schedule, Kyouya's voice flashed menacingly "I wouldn't do that if I were you Haruhi".

'Busted.' She thought. 'Well there are other ways. It wouldn't hurt to try'

"Well really sempai whatever are you talking about?" Haruhi intoned as innocently as possible.

"If I find any girl … or for that matter anyone at all who's not supposed to be anywhere near my classrooms or the surrounding area , before, in between or even after my classes, you'll end up owing me more than you'll be ever be capable of repaying "

'No loopholes there, that's Kyouya sempai for you' she thought as she tried to find a way around what he had said in order to execute her plan. She casually took the time table from Tamaki and said "If I didn't know any better, sempai, I would say you are getting quite paranoid or is it that you are just afraid of taking a bit of your own medicine?"

At this Kaoru understood what Haruhi was playing at.

"What! Kyouya is sick? Oh mommy is sick! Why didn't you tell me before?" Tamaki whined

"That's a figure of speech, you stupid tono!" said Hikaru.

But the other three hosts were deeply listening to the conversation or rather battle between their shadow king and secret princess.

She packed her empty bento and got up with the schedule in her hand.

"Haruhi the break isn't over yet, where are you going?" Hikaru asked

Haruhi just waved her byes to gang.

"Haruhi ….." Kyouya said warningly. He knew she was certainly up to something.

"Just as you don't like being troubled, sempai, I don't like it either. But since you are dead set on making sure certain things happen, I am dead set on not letting those things happen. Though I am not dumb enough to incur the shadow king's wrath, I am also not above letting him get away with manipulating my emotions. Do keep in mind I have my own ways of dealing with things that are imposed upon me by the said Shadow king himself" she said

And added casually quoting him "After all I am an audacious commoner who has the nerve to enter the Ouran academy"

Kyouya closed his laptop and got up as well "audacious- yes, that you are Haruhi, but a commoner-no. A commoner doesn't challenge an Ootori you know" he said as she walked away.

Both Hikaru and Tamaki were baffled as to what just happened before them. Both the other three hosts knew what it meant. It was clear that Haruhi was no longer or rather was never oblivious to the feelings of Tamaki or Hikaru. She had moments ago openly declared to Kyouya that his attempts at making her fall for Tamaki were never going to work. Kaoru knew that he was going to have a hard time dealing with a rather dejected Hikaru once when this was all over. Sighing Kaoru dragged Hikaru slowly out of the cafeteria.

"I thought Haru-chan liked Tama-chan and that she wasn't aware of her own feelings, but now I think it was all acting to keep him at a distance. Tama-chan hasn't got a chance. Has he? And so does Hika-chan!" Hunny said to Mori as the twins and Tamaki left the table.

"But remember, Mitsukuni she did it so that the host club remains intact" Mori replied

Hunny bobbed his head happily, glad at the fact that the girl that he had began to care for as a sister was very much capable handling anything on her own even their very own shadow king. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought "Ne Takashi! I think both, Kyo-chan and Haru-chan have more in common than what meets the eye. They are mature, intelligent, hardworking and ambitious and both of them care for their friends in their own ways. Do you think may be….?"

"They respect, admire and trust each other and also there is this understanding between them. What these feelings will morph into depends on them and time"

After the lunch break Haruhi was rather free from the clutches of the Tamaki and the twins. It was rather easy to get them of her back. All it took was just five minutes.

* * *

><p>Hunny an Mori had caught up with 'twin-free' Haruhi as she was walking towards music room three. They had seen how Haruhi had apparently veered clear of trio that usually hung around her. Hunny was still laughing at the expression on Hikaru's and Tamaki's faces as they were completely smothered by fan girls. When enquired, he just said "Haru-chan. You can give Kyo-chan a run for his money".<p>

Haruhi just smiled weakly knowing that no matter what she did,Kyouya would spontaneously come up one thing or the other to counter it. 'May be I can take Hunny-sempai and Mori sempai's help. Then Kyouya sempai's plans can easily be throttled' she thought. "Can you help me, sempai? "She asked "Kyouya sempai is not going to give up and I no longer can pretend. I don't want to pretend any more either. The fact is I don't see Tamaki sempai or Hikaru as anything more than a friend and my feelings for them is completely platonic. But the rate at which Kyouya sempai is manipulating situations, I might eventually end up as an unsuspecting girlfriend for Tamaki sempai for all I know."

"Oh don't worry Haru-chan, we'll support you and stick with you so that Kyo-chan cannot do anything and I am sure that Tama-chan and Hika-chan will not mind us being with you. So there'll be no problem what so ever" Hunny smiled and energetically dragged her into the music room three.

Kyouya saw Hunny dragging Haruhi into the music room. 'Strange she always came to club with the twins flanking her side. May be the twins weren't able to retrieve themselves from the trap Haruhi set for them' he thought. He was really impressed with how she dealt with situation. She had apparently slipped Tamaki's schedule into the lockers of the host club regulars along with a note saying that Tamaki had fallen into a depression and was under the impression that no one loved him. Which caused all the girls to go console him and offer him their 'love' right after every classes not allowing him to move at all in the first place, let alone walking Haruhi to her classes. He wondered as to what situation she had concocted for the twins. He didn't have wonder long as the twins walked into the room. The white cast that Hikaru had on his injured arm was almost black. Upon closer inspection he realised that it was filled with graffiti. 'So Haruhi had asked the girls to write get well messages on his arm. I have under estimated her' he thought.

"That's not funny you know" Hikaru was shouting at Haruhi

"So was the group hug, this morning" she said.

"Yeah I'd require quite an amount of quick setting Plaster of Paris and yeah if you could come over it would be quite helpful. Yes, yes I understand" Kyouya was saying into his phone.

"Why do we…" Hikaru started

"need Plaster of Paris?" Kaoru finished

"You'll see for yourself in a while" said Kyouya opting out of explaining the details.

"Oh no…." they could hear Tamaki's dramatic gasp.

"What is it now?" Kyouya asked rather a bit annoyed.

"Oh Kyouya what are we going to do. We haven't planned anything for the ladies today?"

"you mean, _You_ haven't planned anything for them?" he asked and then turned to address everyone "today we'll have twin hosting"

"We can't…"

"Host all of them" as usual the twins finish each other's sentences.

"What I meant was that all the hosts will host the ladies in pairs much like what Hikaru and Kaoru do pretty much everyday"

Everyone was rather shocked not at the fact the it was not much of an idea (seeing as how Mori and Hunny and the twins always did this kind of hosting) but that such a dumb idea had come from their resident shadow king.

"Kyouya sempai has Tamaki sempai rubbed of you, which shouldn't be quite possible seeing as how much time he had spent with me lately than with you" came Haruhi's sarcastic comment for she knew if Kyouya had his way she would be paired with Tamaki.

At that instant Hunny caught on, he just twirled the unsuspecting Haruhi and said…. "Weeeee. We'll be a pair ne Haru chan"

Tamaki was gaping like a fish when Mori went and stood near him indicating that they both were going to be a pair.

It was clear as day to Kyouya that both Hunny and Mori were supporting Haruhi. So, he quickly changed tactics. "Actually I was going to let the ladies decide as to who they wanted to see paired together while we prepare Kaoru"

"Prepare me for what" Kaoru couldn't help but wonder. At this the door opened and a guy whom they recognised as the arts and crafts genius of the school walked in.

Kyouya just pushed kaoru and the guy into the back room and said "work your magic" and then went to open the doors.

The other hosts were still a bit shocked as to what was going on, when the girls filed in.

Eventually the girls were also confused as to why one of the hosts was missing "where is Kaoru" one of them voiced their thoughts.

"Oh my ladies, it really pains me to say that kaoru has been a bit dejected lately seeing as how you all showered Hikaru with your love today." Kyouya said pointing to Hikaru's cast. "He feels left out. So we had decided to cheer him on. But before that I must explain our theme for the day. As kaoru is depressed, he'll not be able to host along with Hikaru today" loud gasps and 'No' could be heard throughout the room. "Thus to compensate for inconvenience that we caused you, beautiful ladies, we have decided to do twin hosting today. You can take your time to see which two hosts you'd like to see paired and then vote. According to the votes the host will be paired." the girls started talking among themselves rather excitedly when Kyouya added "as Kaoru will not be hosting today, I'll be hosting as well to make this make this twin hosting feasible" When they heard that the usual passive host will be hosting them today, there was an instant uproar and immediately the girls began discussing their favourite pairs.

"What's with the Kaoru's dejected and I'm hosting crap" Haruhi said loudly to no one in particular.

Hunny couldn't help but suppress a giggle. The look on Haruhi's face was practically murderous. 'So she couldn't digest Kyouya hosting the girls. That's an interesting development' he thought. He looked at his cousin and knew immediately that his cousin was also thinking along the same lines.

Five minutes later Kyouya came up with chits and a box for the ladies to cast their votes. Finally when the votes were counted, Kaoru emerged out of the backroom. Everyone was shocked to see Kaoru's arm in a cast. "You see, too cheer Kaoru up we have given him a fake cast which is very much similar to his brother's. So, I want you ladies to go and prove your love for Kaoru is no less than your love for Hikaru through your heartfelt messages and graffiti"

Haruhi knew that if the delighted sequels coming from the girls were any indication than todays hosting was going to be talked about for a long time.

'So that's why he wanted the plaster of Paris. Leave it to that rich bastard to concoct a theme out of some random prank I pulled' she thought.

Kyouya cleared his throat to get the attention of the girls "well the pairing has been finalised. Apparently our guests here believe that our prince Tamaki's current depression would be shunned forever by our natural host's innate radiance" he looked at Haruhi while saying this and a smirk tugged his lips at her defeated expression.

'I dug up my own grave.' She thought.

"And they have decided that pair of Hunny and Mori sempai should never been broken for eternity. Thus I end up hosting along with my sweet kohai Hikaru here" he finished.

Haruhi heard an audible gasp which knew came from Hikaru 'who wouldn't be scared to death if they were made host together with the Kyouya sempai.' She the voting and she ending up with Tamaki didn't seem like a pleasant coincidence at all to her.

The hosts slowly shuffled along to their allocated places took their usual seats. Kaoru was made to sit where Kyouya usually sat. Girls approached him one after the other and wrote messages, drew doodles and signed on his cast telling him how much they loved him. He couldn't help but and sigh when he saw Hikaru.

Hikaru was extremely conscious of sitting next to Kyouya. Somehow without his younger twin he felt rather alone. Kyouya on the other hand was at ease with himself.

"So Kyouya-kun, do you like our decision of paring you with Hikaru-kun" asked one of the girls.

"Oh absolutely. I am indeed honoured that you'd pair me with such a valiant host who had fought with time and destiny to bring back our beloved prince. His injured arm is a proof of his valour"

Haruhi couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Hikaru sitting there and gawking at Kyouya. What Kyouya had said and the way he had said it made Hikaru look like a heroic samurai fighting for something that he wanted to protect.

She could hear Kyouya say "my princess, I would love to describe what Hikaru had done in great detail, but somehow I feel that I would shun his glory if I do that. You should ask the hero himself to narrate it while I stay by his side and when he is recounting the events, I shall bask in his valour"

She knew that now as Hikaru took the lead from Kyouya, all he had to do was just lounge there and pretend to listen. For some strange reason she felt relieved and focussed on the task at hand, escaping Tamaki's bear hug.

Kyouya decided to see how Tamaki was faring. He could see that he had smothered Haruhi in a bear hug and he could catch only certain words that he said amidst the excited squealing of the fan-girls. He couldn't help but feel slightly annoyance at this. He thought 'he has a lady worth living for in his arms and all he is doing is to ditch his usual romantic crap on her as well. How does that make her any different from the frivolous fan-girls surrounding him? It is no wonder that Haruhi never fell for him. She's too sophisticated and practical for that moron.' But he wanted Tamaki to be happy, after all it was thanks to Tamaki that he felt like he was living again. At least he owed him this much.

Kyouya's longing expression as he looked at Haruhi and Tamaki didn't go unnoticed by the senior pair. They could tell that even though Kyouya wanted Haruhi to end up with Tamaki, he himself sought her company and conversations no matter however little and spaced out they were.

She was constantly pawed and hugged by Tamaki who was apparently seeking to alleviate his depression, at every opportunity he got. She couldn't help but think 'where is Hikaru when you need him' Usually Hikaru would be near her the moment Tamaki pulled her into a hug.

That's when the strange pairing of the hosts hit on her like a flash. With Kyouya by his side, Hikaru wouldn't dare to abandon the girls and come anywhere near her and Tamaki and as Kaoru was seated far away he couldn't come and aid Hikaru out of his tight spot either. That meant that she has to be with Tamaki during the entire hosting hours. Now she believed strongly the voting and pairing was all a part of Kyouya's scheme 'Damn it and he thought of all this just in that small amount of time. Seriously that's it! I'm not taking this anymore. I'll put an end to this playing one way or the other' she thought. She got up and excused herself and stomped off to make tea.

Kyouya turned in time to look at Haruhi placing a cup of tea on his table. But there was something about the way that she placed it seemed off. Something more purposeful and conscious. He slightly took his cup and noticed that there was a tissue in the saucer. Looking closely he realised that it was a was actually note saying "I need to talk to you". The way the note was given to him discreetly indicated that she wanted to talk to him in private. He made sure that Hikaru didn't notice the exchange between him and Haruhi.

But he wasn't too lucky, unknown to him there were two other hosts who noticed this discreet exchange, just as they noticed each and every stealing glances between Haruhi and Kyouya when they thought the other wasn't looking.

When finally it was time to close the club, Kyouya ushered away all the ladies. As soon as the girls filed out Hunny and Mori also left the music room three mumbling something about important business. Just When the Hitachiins were about to offer Haruhi a ride home, Kyouya's voice rang out "Haruhi I want to talk to you about your debt".

So both the Hitachiins left grumbling something along the lines 'shadow king's antennae …'

Tamaki looked very much like he would stay there until the end of the conversation between Kyouya and Haruhi and even offered to take her home after she had discussed whatever it was that Kyouya wanted to talk to her about.

"I'll take her home Tamaki as I have to meet Ranka-san anyway" Tamaki walked away sulking.

* * *

><p>Kyouya waited for Haruhi to start going at him for the trick he pulled at the host club today as he walked towards his usual place.<p>

When he heard absolutely no noise whatsoever, he looked around to be greeted with an empty room; there was no sign of Haruhi. He was about to call out her name, when she came holding a tray with two cups of tea in it. "I thought we should at least make ourselves a little bit more comfortable, before we begin" she said

Meanwhile Hunny and a reluctant Mori were standing outside music room three their ears pressed to the door. They had snuck back in to the school in order to find out what the secret note business that they had noticed earlier was all about.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about, Haruhi" Kyouya asked

She snorted "like you don't know"

"I am not god therefore I am not omnipotent" he said taking a cup of coffee from the tray

"Could've fooled me with the way you act, sometimes. So I take it that today's hosting was not a coincidence" she said taking her own cup from the tray as well

"Apparently you're the omnipotent one among the two of us Haruhi. You seem to know everything" he smirked

"So how did you know that we'll end up paired in the peculiar fashion?" she asked annoyed that he wasn't dwelling any more upon it.

"Even though I am a passive host I am the one responsible for knowing the preferences of our guest. I knew that they will never break up the twins or the duo of Hunny and Mori sempai. Since you and Tamaki were the only independent hosts, they were curious as to how it will turn out if you two are paired. In fact there were a couple of requests from our guests regarding this. So all I had to was separate the twins. That was relatively easy." He said

"So you just used the pranks I pulled on Tamaki sempai and Hikaru to keep them away from me, to your advantage. Talk about digging my own grave" she huffed.

Outside the door both Hunny and Mori were shocked to hear this. What they thought was just their guests' choice was one of the clever schemes of Kyouya. "You know Takashi; somehow I think Haru-chan is right. If Kyouya keeps doing such things Haru-chan will end up being Tama-chan's girlfriend against her will" Hunny said.

Mori just nodded his agreement.

Kyouya chuckled "so Haruhi, I am sure that this is all not what you wanted to talk about"

Haruhi's eyes narrowed slightly before she said "Yeah sempai, I know that Tamaki sempai is your best friend and all but please refrain yourself from pushing me towards Tamaki sempai and literally dangling me in his face so that he'd realise his feelings"

He laughed and Haruhi couldn't help but smile as well. This was the first time she ever heard him laugh, it felt odd and at the same time soothing.

"You know having you in the club certainly has its benefits…. It's a lot more interesting and unpredictable. But I must say the level of obliviousness that you exhibited always seemed somewhat odd for a person of your intellect. And ever since the Okinawa incident when you cleared picked upon what I was trying to do, I had a feeling that maybe you seemed to know more than you let on. Guess my hunch was right".

Hunny and Mori listening to the conversation couldn't help but wonder what the Okinawa incident was!

Haruhi just quietly sipped the tea. Kyouya prodded "so you know about the twins feelings towards you as well"

Yes sempai, but I am really glad that at least Kaoru has moved on, even though he is the younger twin he always takes the role of a older one".

"So what were you planning to do Haruhi?"

"Well I just thought of going with the flow and pretending to be unaware, as I don't want any problems to rise in the club just because of me. But you are not helping to say the least"

"What about when they realise their feelings for you. What will you do then?"

"Well I'll tell them that I only see them as a good friends nothing more or nothing less and that I would always want to be friends with them no matter what"

"Well that's nice to hear; at least you are not going to pull the stunt you pulled on Arai, on them"

Haruhi was blushing madly and replied rather defensively "Well excuse me, I was in middle school and was not mature enough to handle such delicate issues and I did what I knew how to do: ignore. Not everyone can be as tactful as you are sempai"

"That's right "he had his usual smirk in place to Haruhi's annoyance "but I believe being blunt and brazen is one of your strong points"

"so, sempai" Haruhi urged " you've yet to agree to what I've asked of you". Haruhi knew for a fact that if she didn't get him to give consent to her demands, he would one way or the other try to get Tamaki closer to her.

Kyouya sighed "you sure are going to be one hell of lawyer." His tactics was to divert Haruhi's attention so as to not give his consent to her request in words. But seeing as it failed he said "but I am a businessman Haruhi, I don't simply give my consent to everyone's demands you know" he could see that Haruhi was thinking through what he said.

Somehow Hunny and Mori couldn't help feel like they were standing outside a board room for the conversation between Haruhi and Kyouya almost sounded like a business deal.

"I would do anything you ask of me. I would even help you with managing the club's finances. Any help at all." she knew that her voice held a hint of sheer desperation

"Alright, I promise not involve myself in making Tamaki realise his feelings towards you, nor will create opportunities were you'll end up closer with him. But do remember your promise as well" Kyouya gave in seeing as how desperate Haruhi was.

Haruhi smiled brightly. They fell into an amiable silence. Kyouya couldn't help but notice that Haruhi sat there twiddling her thumbs. He knew that she was contemplating something or rather she was contemplating whether or not to ask him something. So he sat there drinking his tea, giving her time. He knew she'll eventually come around and ask him.

"Ano sempai…"Haruhi began

Kyouya couldn't help but smile….he knew Haruhi could never learn tact for all she was worth. "Nani?" he prodded

"What was it that was bothering you during the Ouran fair" Haruhi blurted out

Now Kyouya was truly shocked…. "What else other than the fact that our idiot of a king decided to disband the club and move away to France"

"No it wasn't that, it was something else that was bothering you?"

"What makes you think so Haruhi?"

"First of all when you called Shima-san and were told that Tamaki was moving to France in an hour… it came as a shock to you. But seeing as how you operate, you must have already analysed the situation and anticipated that situation as one of the possible outcomes seeing as Tamaki sempai had declared that he was engaged to Éclair Tonnere. But if you had done that, it wouldn't have shocked you. The reason you didn't analyze the situation was because I presume you were preoccupied with something else."

She continued as Kyouya hadn't denied what she said so far "But when you saw your private police force you weren't surprised and in fact pretty much anticipated them to stop us. Even though your father wasn't exactly a pro-host club person. He didn't have any reason as to stop us from pursuing Tamaki as whether Tamaki was here or in France was none was his concern. That seemed totally illogical but you weren't riled by the absurdity of the situation which means that you knew something apart from what was going on. That must be related to the thing that you were preoccupied with during the fair"

Outside the doors, Mori and Hunny couldn't help but marvel at Haruhi's deduction. If she could analyse their Shadow king's moves and reactions and deduce from them, then they knew for sure that Haruhi would be one of the best lawyers in all of Japan. Whatever doubts they had regarding Haruhi's future vanished into thin air.

Kyouya was speechless…. 'Did she observe this much not leaving a detail; she was a puzzle that he could never solve. Honestly now whatever she does shouldn't surprise me anymore.' he thought

"You know Haruhi after hearing that wonderful piece of deduction; I'll offer you a deal. I'll sponsor your law school and in return all you have to do is sign a contract saying that after the completion of studies, you'll work as a corporate lawyer for me for 5 years"

Hunny almost snorted outside 'typical Kyo-chan' he thought

Haruhi saw the offer as to what it really was: an attempt to divert the topic.

"Sempai I'm still waiting for your answer and in case you're forgetting, I'm Haruhi, not a businessman and I don't think business deals are interesting enough for me to get distracted"

Kyouya gave up trying to distract her "you're right why bother with deals when fancy tuna would've done the trick"

Haruhi was fuming and blushing at the same time "I'm not ever going to live it down am I"

"No, never" he gave a low chuckle "I must admit that you are right about me being preoccupied with something else during the Ouran fair. You see I was amassing resources to buy my father's medical equipment company from under him"

Haruhi just sat there gawking at him.. "But… but you are in high school, how did you even manage to…you know what forget it!"

Hunny just slumped along the door and Mori was rather pretty much shocked himself after hearing what Kyouya said. "Takashi. Remind me never to be surprised by whatever Kyouya does in that future…..or for that matter Haruhi, those two are unbelievable" Hunny said. Mori just gave his usual grunt.

Kyouya carried on "one of the reason's Éclair Tonnerre was here because their company was buying companies from under their owners. Due to certain issues at that time, the medical equipment company of ours became a bit shaky. Grand tonere was about to buy our company. And Éclair, seeing as she hated host club, wanted to stop us from pursuing them…so she asked for the help of Ootori private force and my father gladly agreed to it."

"So you bought the company instead, han? Does your father know of this?

"No, not yet! But he'll figure it out soon enough" he sighed "but when he does he'll realise that I have enough potential to inherit and handle the Ootori zaibatsu even though I am the third son"

"Something tells me that becoming the heir to the Ootori Zaibatsu is not really what you want"

Kyouya's eyes narrowed "whatever do you mean Haruhi?"

"You see sempai, becoming a lawyer is not what I really want, what I want is to make my mom happy and proud of me if she sees me from the heavens. Becoming a lawyer like her through and hard work and effort is what I think would make my mom proud of me.

In your case sempai, what you really want is your father's complete acceptance. Becoming the heir to the Ootori zaibatsu is the path that you have chosen to seek what you really want"

Leave it to Haruhi…. To break a complicated being like him to his baser and potent feelings. He thought.

"That's an intriguing notion. if what you are telling is true which it most probably is… then I'll not get what I want Haruhi"

'Why's that sempai?'

" I gave all the management rights of the company back to my father… indicating that I really don't want his company and that I'm not going to take the bait of heir of Ootori zaibatsu, that he constantly dangles in my face because it doesn't make me happy"

Haruhi laughed out loud, she was laughing so much that she started clutching her sides. She would have continued it if not for the shadow king aura that was closing in on her from all the sides.

"remember when you were "lost" in the mall…that I said that merit for you is not money, power, fame or anything superficial…probably it's emotional satisfaction. Back then you neither acknowledged nor denied but now you pretty declared what merits are for you. But you do realise sempai that becoming the heir isn't the only path to what you want"

"what are you implying Haruhi?" Came Kyouya's voice

Well you do realise that there's a huge difference between the heir of Yoshio Ootori and the successor of Yoshio Ootori"

"Where are you going with this Haruhi?"

" I'm just telling that all you have to do is chose a path that will make you happy and at that same will lead you to what you want"

Kyouya was pondering…. Now that he thought about it Haruhi's word does make sense. When he was just following his dad's every command he wasn't happy… yet when he was gathering funds for the company he was elated obviously because he was doing something his father never expected him to do. Even though he was happy when he bought the company, he felt blissful when he turned in the management rights. If someone had told Kyouya that he would buy his father's company and practically give it back to him, then he would have laughed on their faces at the absurdity of the thought. Yet here he was sitting after he had given the company back to his father…..one of the reasons he gave back was… even though he had it, it didn't mean he owned it. He's merely acting as a safe guard until someone else come and takes it from him maybe his heir. But that means it never belonged to him the first place. Probably subconsciously he didn't want to become the Ootori heir anymore from that day because he knew if he became the heir he would handle and expand the zaibatsu but also he'll passing it on from his father to his children.

He couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips.. here she was sitting there like an innocent and naïve girl, yet she'd stripped him of all his walls and defences and showed himself his real self.

Haruhi was watching Kyouya.. he hadn't uttered a word for some time now.. but she waited patiently. At the sound of his voice, she snapped up to look at his face that and could see a vey smug and scary smirk forming on his face.

" you do realise that the offer I made you a while ago is an open offer Haruhi. You can grab it anytime" Haruhi saw something new in his eyes realization and hope. She understood that Kyouya has indeed started walking a new path that would lead him to what he wants.

She couldn't help but smile "I already know what it is like to be indebted to an Ootori… and I certainly don't want to walk the path again with legal bindings".

They both stood up and started gathering their things.

"By the way, Thank you for making sure that I had a peaceful weekend without Tamaki sempai's and twins' stupid schemes" she smiled genuinely

"It was no problem Haruhi, after what you had gone through the last week I thought you needed to take rest, so that our natural host doesn't look haggard and tired today. After all you're a host and you need to look the part." He smiled one of genuine smiles.

Haruhi sighed and said "by now you should've realised that no matter how much trouble you take to convince me that you're a jerk, I am not going to take that statement at its face value, sempai. I know you did that out of genuine care and not for the club profit and I know that you'd rather have Tamaki sempai calling you mommy a hundred times than you'd admit to this"

Kyouya just chuckled as he pulled out his cell phone to call Tachibana.

"So what exactly did you do them to keep them away from my place?" Haruhi was rather curious.

"It was rather easy. I told Tamaki that Ranka was waiting to kill him as soon as he had learned that you fell from a bridge" he said, wincing a little at the memory of Haruhi falling from the bridge.

"And the twins, it was a piece of cake." He added "All I had to do was remind them how clumsy you are and how easily you can break things. I just told them probably Hikaru's broken bones would be much easier to break than the vase"

Haruhi just snorted and went ahead to open the door. Hunny and Mori realised that they would be caught if they stayed there and scrambled to find a hiding place just in the nick of time.


	2. Chapter 2

This is the story of a certain feared and most respected corporate lawyer Haruhi Ootori and her husband the shrewdest businessman of all times Kyouya Ootori and how they fell in love.

**Couple of weeks later:**

Yoshio Ootori wasn't pleased with himself. Not even the least. After establishing the fact to Suoh that he wanted Haruhi to become Kyouya's bride in the future, he wasn't sure as to what the relation between Kyouya and Haruhi was.

Apparently, all his research about the girl indicated that she was quite close to Tamaki Suoh and the Hitachiin twins. From what he had found out, the relationship between Kyouya and Haruhi was something like that of a tax collector and debtor. It seemed Suoh was having the upper hand in this. For the first time ever in his life, he was thoroughly disappointed in Kyouya.

Kyouya was never interested in girls. Sure he was polite, charming and gentlemanly enough to make any girl's heart flutter,('well apparently that's what they do in that stupid club of his, so no wonder he had gotten quite good at this' he thought) but that's only when there was benefit involved in it. Otherwise, he was always indifferent towards them. Even Yuuichi and Akito showed interest in women. ( Yuuichi had even tactically convinced him and manipulated the situations so that he could get engaged to the girl he loved and he knew that Akito has a love interest as well). He couldn't help but smile,Kyouya had taken after him even in this aspect. He had also been indifferent to women, but that was until he had met his wife. She was the only woman to have captured his heart and the only woman he ever loved. He had even gone through a hell of a trouble and made some powerful enemies to get her hand in marriage. He knew that Kyouya was as passionate as he was, but he had yet to find the right girl.

That's why he never pushed Kyouya towards any of the daughters of his rich associates. So far, the only girl that Kyouya had even bothered to care about was his sister Fuyumi. That's why he was bent on getting Haruhi as a bride for Kyouya. Sure, the girl had defended Kyouya in front of him but that wasn't the only reason he had zeroed in on her. The girl had spunk, spoke her mind, and wasn't bothered in the least about money, power or name. That much was apparent with the way she stood up to him. However, the hidden aspect of her act was the respect, understanding and a hint of care that she held for Kyouya. Only a person who understood Kyouya on many levels would defend him and for that matter get upset when he was not, being appreciated for the exceptional person that he is. It was always Fuyumi who stood up for Kyouya whenever he reprimanded him and to see someone else who held same amount of care for him, caused him to choose her as Kyouya's bride .

If only he could order Kyouya to date the girl. However, he knew that it wouldn't be fair to both the Kyouya and Haruhi. If anything, he wanted to Kyouya to take this initiative and go through with it until the end, on his own. He simply shifted through the pages of report about her on the table. The girl turned out to be more than what he expected. The girl was intelligent, hard working, witty, sincere, genuine and ambitious and cared a lot for the people around her. He still was a bit unsettled with the fact that her father was an okama, but he felt that her character was for more important than what her father was. The silver lining here was that her late mother was a lawyer and the girl had decided to follow her mother's footsteps. All her teachers from her middle school and high school and even Yuzuru Suoh, believed that she had the potential to become an exceptional lawyer.

He looked at the photo of her father; all see saw was a beautiful middle-aged woman with a wavy auburn hair and red pouty lips. 'At least he is good at what he does' he thought. Then his eyes flickered towards Haruhi's photo. 'The girl is quite beautiful' he thought. It was not the plastic kind of beauty, which the girls of this age sported, but rather an innate beauty that he felt was oddly familiar. Now that he thought about it, the way she talked to him without any fear, the confidence in her stature and the elegance with which she put forth her view was oddly familiar as well. He did have a sense of déjà-vu when he met her. Not even his wife had ever dared to speak to him like that. There was only one other person apart from Haruhi, who could have pulled the stunt that she did and got away with it, but she was not alive anymore.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in" he said

A maid opened the door and delivered the package that she held and left the room.

'It's from Yuzuru. What's he up to now? This better not be one of his pranks.' He thought .what was unknown to the business world was that Yuzuru loved to pull pranks on him as much as he loved to taunt his son. Nevertheless, he being an Ootori always made sure that the pranks backfired on Yuzuru. If at all there was someone who could pull prank on him then it was…. 'What's with me today? I am suddenly becoming nostalgic. It's probably because the girl's parents' first names are the same as theirs. However, their ancestry thoroughly was thoroughly checked, there was no connection whatsoever. It is just a mere coincidence. I shouldn't be keeping false hopes. She's never coming back and he hid himself with his daughter after her death. Both of them always wanted to be away from this treacherous world of business and they got their wishes. I shouldn't even bother about them when they did even trust me enough to seek or for that matter accept my help' he thought.

Grudgingly he opened the packet. It contained a CD with a note stuck on it.

It said 'my friend, it seems I have lost the race before it even started. Unfortunately, the Ootoris have a knack for attracting the best. Nevertheless, I think Kyouya deserves her and truth be told he is the one who is actually worthy of her. But I am really glad that at least Tamaki found a friend who is ready to do anything for him- Yuzuru Suoh'

For the first time since the morning, he smiled. 'This is something about the girl and way Suoh has put it, it seems that relationship between Haruhi and Kyouya had more to it than what meets the eye' he thought. He quickly inserted the CD into his laptop and played it. It was a video of the host club during its active hours. He couldn't help but smirk when he saw that the heirs to the most influential and wealthy families of Japan were all there together in this club. There was a swell of pride in his heart when he realised it was Kyouya who called the shots. From what he could see, they all accepted his authority without any qualms. Now he really felt bad that he had slapped his son in public. Even though the entire idea of the club was stupid, he could see how well Kyouya ran it. 'Why the hell is he vice president again, when he practically controls every movement in there' somehow his fatherly instinct couldn't digest the idea of his son being second to anyone.

For others it was a mere host club, whereas for Kyouya it was nothing short of a business arena or rather play ground to hone his skills. He saw that even during the active hours of the club,Kyouya had completely refrained himself from talking to the girls unless when it was necessary. He couldn't help but sigh 'even in a club solely dedicated to flirting with girls, Kyouya pays no heed to them' he thought. But as the video rolled on he was slowly getting annoyed. There was nothing worth seeing at all. It really irked him that Tamaki was practically pawing the girl and Kyouya was doing nothing to stop it.

He was about to close the video thinking that this was some sick joke played on him by the elder Suoh, when something caught his attention. Haruhi was discreetly passing a note to Kyouya when she served him the tea. This had piqued his curiosity and he decided to watch through the entire video. Nothing could have prepared the Ootori patriarch for what he was going to see and hear from now on.

As the video ended, Yoshio learned a lot more about his son and the girl. Apparently their relationship was based on mutual trust, respect and understanding. It had all the ingredients and in the right proportions for love to blossom between them. The girl was not just intelligent but also witty enough to capture Kyouya's attention and keep it completely on her during the entire conversation. She also had such a deep understanding of Kyouya's intricate persona that she was able dissect all his actions, reactions and was able to read his basic and deeper emotions, just like that.

He could also see that Kyouya treated her like an equal. He seemed like he was having the time of his life talking to her, challenging her, playing with her mind. He had even gone through the trouble of making sure she had enough rest. He was just Kyouya, striped of his usual façade in front of her. On closer inspection, he realised that, Kyouya was indeed teasing the girl a lot with his wit and trying to elicit all sorts of reaction from her.

Their conversation seemed more like a game of cat and mouse between two intellectuals which both of them were not willing to lose. Nevertheless, he was really shocked that Kyouya was willing to throw away all this just for the sake of his friend. Tamaki's friendship must mean a lot to him. Luckily the girl had not shown any interest whatsoever in the blonde.

She had in fact helped Kyouya to realise something important as well, something that Kyouya failed to see while he was trying to surpass his brothers. Yoshio had thwarted all competition in the business arena and was currently the one who reined it and he knows he is something of a legend. If anything, he wanted one of his children to be the next legend, not anyone else. That was why he made all of his sons work hard and diligently. He knew that all three of them were capable enough to run the zaibatsu single-handed. In reality, what he actually expected from them was to make a name on their own. Now that she had planted the idea in Kyouya's head, he knew that he would do everything in his power to become the successor of the business legend Yoshio Ootori. The timing couldn't have been any better! Just when Kyouya had willingly given up on becoming the heir, she had led him to the right path.

To say that the elder Ootori was pleased with this new development would be an understatement. If his years of experience had thought him anything at all about human nature then he knew that Kyouya and Haruhi were bound to fall in love.

Therefore, he took his phone to call the Ryoji 'Ranka' Fujioka just to make sure, as usual, that nothing stands in the way of his son's bright future. He may not be outwardly affectionate that doesn't mean he doesn't care for them. He would be damned, if anything stopped him from giving his children all that they deserved.

Little did he know that this phone call was going to give him the shock of his life if he hadn't already had it!

* * *

><p>Ranka woke up around eleven o'clock thinking that this was going to be another usual morning. He had work yesterday night, and had returned home at only three in the morning. His daughter it seemed had left for her school. She had left the breakfast and lunch for the day in the fridge as usual. He took a warm bath and just about finished his breakfast, when his phone was ringing.<p>

Cursing under his breath, he went and picked up the receiver "moshi, moshi. Ranka here" he said.

There was a pause and the voice on the side came bit uncertainly but with formality "is it Ryoji Ranka Fujioka"

He couldn't help but roll his eyes 'must be those creepy guys from bank, talking about credit cards' he thought "well smart ass, I did say I am Ranka…. Who else do you expect, my nanny" he snapped. He was certainly not in one of his good moods today.

He could hear a light clearing of the throat on the other side "I am Yoshio Ootori"

Ranka stood their rooted to the spot 'did he find out?' he thought 'no that's not possible. I made sure that no one would be able to find out, not even my mom.'

"Hello..."

'Then again he is an Ootori, there are chances with the resources he has at his disposal'

"Hello….." The voice from the other side was tainted with a hint of annoyance.

'Maybe ... I think the best thing to do is play innocent' he thought just as he heard the voice on the other side filled with annoyance "HELLO…."

"Look here bastard… I don't know what you are trying to pull here… Ootoris don't have time to call random commoners and I tell you this from experience as I have personally met the youngest Ootori on more than one occasion" he said 'that's right play it easy and cool. You are an Okama whose daughter had somehow befriended an Ootori. Now that in itself sounds weird.' he thought.

"Well, Kyouya had met you on various occasions because he is friends with your daughter Haruhi Fujioka who goes to the same school as him on a scholarship of course, and is the member of a club of which my son is the vice president."

"Alright I now know that you are the real deal. Now what do you want" he said with too much sass hoping that the Ootori will get pissed at his rude behaviour and cut the call.

"You were right when you said that I don't call random commoners and an okama no less, but I am calling you as the father of Kyouya… but if you insist I can deal with you as an Ootori. Whichever you prefer Ranka-san"

Who was he kidding, if Yoshio had called him in the first place then there must be a reason which means he will not cut the call before he conveys what he has to say. Thanks to his rudeness, now Yoshio was apparently pissed, he was not dumb to miss the threat. 'Kami, help me to sail through without any hurdles' he prayed.

"May I know why you called me" he tried this time politely. He could hear a mumbled 'that's better' from the other side.

"I'll get straight to the point. Couple of weeks back, I had the chance to meet your daughter. She had the audacity to stand up to me in public..."

"What" Ranka panicked "look sir, she's just a child… she probably didn't mean any harm... I hope you have it in your…."

"If it was any other situation I would have made sure that she was shipped off from Japan" the voice interrupted " but the truth was I was the one at fault there. She was just defending her friend, Kyouya when I was being unreasonably harsh towards him"

'So that's why he called, just to give a warning. For a moment, I panicked. Well then I'll play it smooth and end the call' he thought "well that was very kind of you sir, you really have big heart. I'll tell Haruhi not to do such stupid things and will ask her to apologise if she happens to see you another time. Thank you. Have a good day." He concluded and was about to put the receiver down when the voice on the other side rang out harshly

"I am not done yet"

After a pause the voice from the other side flashed "listen, Ranka-san, your daughter piqued my curiosity. There aren't many who would have the courage to do what she did. I really admire her for that. From what I can see both my son and your daughter respect and admire each other. I believe that they might end up falling in love with each other. If that happens then I want to make sure that you'll accept it whole-heartedly. Besides, this is just to inform you not to make any plans for your daughter for her marriage. You are not to get her engaged with anyone else. Even if you do anything of the sort, it will be of no consequence, as the Ootoris are known for getting what they want, no matter what"

Ranka couldn't believe it 'perhaps he found out who I really am and is just pulling an act to make me spill it out' he thought

"As lucrative as your proposition sounds, shouldn't you forbid your son from associating with commoners let alone allow him to fall in love with them. It is really weird that you'll want the daughter of a okama to be your daughter-in-law. Kyouya may be your third son and as such not in a position to inherit your family business, but that doesn't mean you'll be shipping him off in a commoner boat when there will be abundant marriage proposals in your business world for Kyouya that could lead to some major mergers. Something about this doesn't sound right!"

"Well all of a sudden you turned out be critical analyst of the world of businessmen" came the sarcastic reply.

After a pause, the voice came again "look Ranka-san, as a father I know you are just watching out for your daughter. But, please do understand I am doing the same thing for my son. Kyouya maybe my third son, but I have high expectations of him and I believe he would succeed me one day. I just don't want him to be a successful businessman, I want him to be successful in all aspects of life. So far, no girl ever had captured the attention of Kyouya other than Haruhi-san. In fact, she had made him realise many things that he had never realised before. It doesn't matter if you are a okama, your daughter has intelligence, spirit and a warm heart and that's all Kyouya needs from your daughter. And that's …."

"You know you haven't changed a bit, big man Yoshi, you never expressed your affection openly but you always cared for your wife and children a lot. But let me tell you are dreaming if you think Kyouya is going to succeed you, he's going to surpass you from what I can see" Ranka said with a smile on his face. He knew that Yoshio would catch on quickly. After he found out that Yoshio values his daughter as a person, in spite of her status he didn't have the heart to hide the truth anymore.

"Suddenly you seem to get all familiar with me… hey wait a minute…did you just call me big man Yoshi…. Yoji, you bastard! So that's where you were hiding all these years, perfect guise as a okama. Even I couldn't identify you. You know, you're a fool, an imbecile.., Wait a minute Haruhi is your daughter, which means Toko is her mother! No wonder Haruhi had this nagging familiarity about her."

There was loud laugh on the other side of the line "She takes after her mother, you know. Not just in looks but in attitude as well, so far only she and Toko have ever succeeded in talking to me like I am some ordinary guy they have met at the market place and getting away with it"

"I must admit that I was a bit shocked when you said that Haruhi stood up to you, that was a stunt only Toko pulled so far, even I wasn't allowed to do that"

"Please be kind enough to remind me again, what you weren't allowed to do. You had the gall to pull a fast one on me every time we met and escaped from my wrath unscathed and in fact you remained hidden you bastard, for all these years. Even my private police force couldn't trace you."

"I wouldn't be an Akiyama if I couldn't at least keep my identity a secret. But I am really glad that you saw Haruhi as a person, not just as a mere commoner"

"I couldn't see her as a commoner even if I wanted to, considering who her parents are! If you ask me, her personality just screams your names! So, do you think Kyouya and Haruhi would be a good match for each other?"

Ranka sighed, "It's not that I haven't noticed Kyouya and Haruhi's interaction. Yes, they remind me of Toko and me. However, their relationship is quite formal so far and I sure as hell hope that Haruhi falls for Kyouya instead of that French bug Tamaki. That guy is only infatuated with her and it is not going to last long and I don't want Haruhi to fall for him and have her heart broken when he moves on."

At this he could hear a chuckle from the other side "at first, even I thought it was to too formal to be anything else. But thanks to my friend Suoh, I hold a video here that proves otherwise"

Ranka gasped "A video, don't tell me they both are in a secret relationship"

"You are being your usual dramatic self" the voice chided, "It is nothing of the sort"

"Then why would Suoh willingly send you a video unless it is a scandal or something serious"

"Well, you see your daughter is quite popular. Technically, Suoh and I were after her for the same thing! Suoh wanted her to end up with Tamaki and I wanted her to end up with Kyouya. But as you see in this video here, Haruhi blatantly denies any feelings for Tamaki, which is why Suoh sent me this acknowledging his defeat"

"Hearing she's not into Tamaki, somehow makes me relieved! But I am really a proud father you know; even with the status of a commoner my sweet Haruhi captures the attention of a two powerful business magnets. Maybe I should keep my options open, you know there might be better proposals if her true status were revealed" Ranka joked. If there was one thing he wanted, it was for Haruhi and Kyouya to fall in love.

"Like I said before, you can do whatever you want, but remember you are dealing with an Ootori here. As soon as Kyouya realises his feelings for her, I am positive, he'll stop at nothing to get her"

"Like how you stopped at nothing to get your Ayano, you even made enemies out of the Akiyama."

"Yes, some enemy you are" he chuckled "by the way open your door, I'm waiting outside"

"Wait how did you….. forget it" he put down the receiver and walked to front door.

Standing there was Yoshio Ootori himself his usual smirk in its place.

"You Ootoris are a menace, you know" Ranka said allowing space for Yoshio to get in.

"Sounds like something your mother would say. But coming from you I take it as a compliment" Yoshio said stepping in.

* * *

><p>Kyouya had been in a grumpy mood for the past two days. But today, he was sending angry vibes to anyone who had even dared to look at him. Anyone who was misfortunate enough to go near him or reckless enough to annoy him were treated to his death glares,acid replies and anything that could thrown at people (Tamaki was still cowering in his emo corner, sporting a fresh bruise on his forehead where Kyouya's cell phone had landed). Haruhi had heard that Kyouya was a 'low blood pressure Evil lord' when he woke up. 'Perhaps he had instinctively changed in to that mode when he is sleep deprived as well.' she thought.<p>

She couldn't help but notice that there were light purple shadows under his eyes. By the stiffness of shoulder and posture, she could tell that he hadn't slept for at least two days in a row.

'It must be something really important and tedious if it had kept him from sleeping' she thought. In an attempt to reduce the number of victims to Kyouya's Evil lord mode, she went into the kitchen to prepare some coffee.

Neither the twins nor Tamaki followed her like they usually. Somehow, after her talk with Kyouya she was able to have 'twin and Tamaki' free moments in quite a good proportion. Maybe without Kyouya's involvement, Tamaki seemed to lack the zest to follow her throughout the day. Without Tamaki's dramatic outbursts to fuel their mischievous nature, the twins probably deemed her as boring. She couldn't help but wonder if Tamaki unconsciously relied on Kyouya to do most of the things, so much so that when Kyouya was not there to back him up, Tamaki seemed to have drastically given up on pursuing her. Not that she's complaining. 'These small teacups wouldn't be enough. I need something big like a coffee mug' she thought. Finally, after a thorough search that took some time, she found an old coffee mug. She washed the cup thoroughly and filled it to the rim with strong and hot coffee. 'Hmmm….this should do the trick' she thought as carefully lifted it.

The hosts (except Kyouya who paid attention only to his laptop) were surprised when Haruhi came back into the room with a coffee mug. The host club had closed some 10 minutes back, so there was no one to serve and they just sat there playing some random games while Kyouya finalised the budget for the graduation party of Hunny and Mori sempai. 'Maybe she's just tired after the day's work' thought Hikaru.

However, when she passed them and walked towards Kyouya, they were shocked. Tamaki was about to scream and go rescue Haruhi when Mori's strong hand landed on his shoulder. He may be dumb, but he knew it was his cue to, not interfere. Hunny and Mori were sporting smug smiles when Haruhi had precariously placed the cup on Kyouya's table and moved away without a word.

Kyouya was cursing under his breath as he could hear some shuffling and scuffling. 'Can't those idiots keep quiet for at least five minutes? All this noise is increasing my already pounding headache. If they don't stop now, I'll….' His thoughts were abruptly cut off, when he saw a small hand placing a coffee mug on his table. He turned just in time to see Haruhi flashing her trademark smile. Somehow, the aroma of coffee soothed him and without a word or a glance, he took the mug with his left hand and sipped the coffee as he was still typing away furiously at his laptop with his right hand.

Hikaru just had a strange look in his eyes when he saw the way Haruhi had prepared coffee out of her own will and had wordlessly placed it on the table and the way Kyouya had wordlessly accepted it. Kaoru was afraid what his brother's reaction might be after witnessing what just happened. He didn't find the anger, hatred or jealousy that he expected. Instead, Hikaru had a sober and dazed expression that didn't sit well with him. Since the week after the Ouran fair, Hikaru had tried to isolate himself when they were at home but when they got back to school, he had become his usual self, Kaoru had thought that it would pass with time, but right now he felt uneasy with Hikaru' strange reaction. 'He had been acting strange lately; he is not his usual self. Not even trying to cling to Haruhi or trying to annoy Tamaki too much. Somehow, I find it strange. I have to confront him about this' he thought

Tamaki couldn't digest the fact that Haruhi would show such a caring gesture towards Kyouya when she batted him away every time he tried to get closer to her. He jumped at Haruhi and started wailing loudly "why is only mommy getting coffee from my dear Haruhi? I want it as well"

"If you want to get another bruise on that forehead of yours then be my guest and complain how much ever you want" she said and Tamaki sobered up in an instant that is as sober as Tamaki can ever be.

"You know you should do something productive instead of sitting there and complaining." She added.

"Well the most productive thing to do would be to dump Tono outside the room" Hikaru supplied.

"WHAAAAAAAT. How can you say that I am the host club king and I demand….."

"Forget it" Haruhi mumbled and turned her attention to Hunny successfully tuning out Tamaki's rant "Ok, sempai…. Tell us what would like as your graduation gift from the host club"

Tamaki piped up and threw his overbearing self at their short senior

"So what do you want for your graduation party, anything you ask, we'll make it happen for you! Consider it as your parting gift" trying to show off Haruhi that he was indeed doing something.

"As long as, it is not ten foot cake." Kyouya added before Hunny could open his mouth to respond.

"Kyo-chan, that's not fair!" he whined but once he got a look from Mori, he sobered up

"What Takashi and I want is to tell the entire school that Haru-chan is a girl. She cannot be forced to spend the rest of the high school as a boy now that her debt has been paid"

Kyouya had announced a few days after the Ouran fair that her debt had been paid and that she chose to be a part of in spite of that.

"Oh no, we cannot do that Hunny sempai! Then everyone will know Haruhi is a girl" Tamaki wailed

"That's the point Tono" Hikaru added in a matter-of -fact tone

"Then she will not be our secret princess anymore. All the guys will be after Haruhi. No, daddy will not stand it" Tamaki said dramatically. By now, everyone had tuned him out.

"Funny, you'd ask that sempai. The chairman had made the same request of me a couple of days ago. Very well then we'll see to that Haruhi true gender is revealed with a minimum impact whatsoever so that people don't hold any grudges against her."

Tamaki was shaking Kyouya's shoulder and said "mommy you can do that. Then all the guys will ask Haruhi on a date. Then she'll no longer belong to us" Kyouya didn't get any sleep at all last night and he was in no mood today to deal with any crap. His patience was almost non-existent right now. Till now he was just doing fine, but starting his own business meant that he had to meet people and go places and on top of that he needed to do his school work to retain his position and he had to deal with host club itself. Somehow, his schedule seemed rather tight.

" I don't belong to you sempai" Haruhi's monotone voice cut across the awkward tension that hung between Kyouya and Tamaki " yeah, even I am getting sick of pretending to be a boy. I think it's about time everyone knows I am a girl"

He was too busy fretting over the issue that he did not sense the impending danger that was signalled by Kyouya's dark aura. "Kyouya, what are you thinking? We cannot let Haruhi go. We cannot let them know that she is a girl. Then everyone will….they will" he stuttered.

"Tamaki, there's no 'we' here" he said in clipped tones "In case you haven't noticed, it involves Haruhi. She has clearly expressed what she wants a while ago. For once would you just stop acting like a selfish idiot?"

Everyone there stood still. Kyouya was rather annoyed and if anything, Tamaki's constant whining only aggravated his anger.

He added, "It is a crime in itself that she has been pretending to be something she is not. Do you want the rest of her life to be marred with it? Moreover, Haruhi hasn't planned to leave the host club, so she is not going anywhere. As far as I'm concerned, that's good enough for all of us. But if you are obviously worried about other guys dating her, too bad, that's your problem!"

"Oh no" Tamaki started wailing "mommy just yelled at Daddy. No, we cannot fight in front of our children. That will set a bad example" he suddenly pulled a magazine titled 'Family Issues' out of nowhere and started flipping through the pages quickly.

"Tell me one good reason…. One reason that I shouldn't yell at you, moron" he asked Tamaki.

However, it was Haruhi, who answered his query "because he's your best friend, the one for whom you'll do anything no matter"

Kyouya calmed down remarkably after hearing this. Something about what she said or rather, her voice got him to calm down. After all, it wouldn't do good to get angry with Tamaki when all he did was just being his usual annoying self. What really irked him was that Tamaki just danced around Haruhi not realising his feelings for her and at the same time not willing to give her up either. 'How long does he think this club or the setting of family will last? Even though they might stay as friends, eventually Haruhi would want to move ahead with her life and he was going to keep acting like a blithering idiot, it will only cause him pain' he thought and couldn't help but notice how his heart clenched at the idea of Haruhi being with someone else. It made him jittery.

Pulling himself together, he said, "Although her gender will be revealed Tamaki, as long as she is with the host club, no guy would have the confidence or should I say the courage to go after her"

Haruhi knew that Kyouya's statement literally translated to scaring anyone who even thought of pursuing her as a love interest. What shocked her though, was that was that the others didn't seem averse to the idea, in fact everyone seemed to be completely agreeing with him. Hunny even had that steely glint in his eyes that was associated with letting out his inner martial artist.

Tamaki couldn't have been any happier and instantly abandoned the magazine and launched himself at Kyouya yelling 'mon ami!'

"Hey sempai, when I said that you'd do anything for your friend, I never meant scaring of any guy who is not in the host club' Haruhi yelled.

"I don't see why you are complaining, it would keep you from being pursued by random guys and you wouldn't have to deal with telling them not to do so. If you ask me it is a win-win situation for everyone"

"Do you always have some sort of justification under your sleeve for all the schemes that you hatch?" she said, slumping unconsciously

"No, not usually! Only when it involves you"

"Well, I don't think I am not flattered, sempai" she answered with a sigh.

"I guess then I am probably losing my touch a host" Kyouya deliberately drawled his statement. He, for some strange reason wanted to see Haruhi's reaction to his words. He couldn't help but smirk at flustered reply he got from Haruhi "why do I have feeling that you are hosting me right now"

What the couple didn't notice was that they were slowly being pulled into their own conversation, each taunting and teasing the other with words. The way they were interacting seemed so casual yet intense. Kaoru could sense that even though they were talking aloud, their words were only meant for the other. They looked almost like a couple talking about some kind of an inside joke which no one besides them knew about.

Over the few weeks both Haruhi and Kyouya had gotten closer to each other. Though it wasn't as obvious, it was still apparent. He also knew that both Hunny and Mori supported this new development. Afraid of what Hikaru's reaction might be to this, he quickly decided to barge into their conversation and change the subject.

"But how are we going to let everyone know that Haruhi is a girl without having them, hate her for the rest of her high school life"

"That should be not a trouble as long as you are ready to spend some gruelling afternoons with Renge, Haruhi. If all goes well, we can even make some profit out of this" Kyouya said nonchalantly as if he hadn't been side tracked in the first place.

"Why am I not surprised" Haruhi replied.

"Actually we are in a financially tight situation, thanks to Tamaki's extravagance during the Ouran fair" he threw a dirty look toward Tamaki who was quietly standing next to him "and after paying for the damages to the shipped in carriage and the school property which, we hardly have any money left for your graduation."

Everyone knew that the situation must be really bad if Kyouya was openly admitting it. They knew that as long as Kyouya could handle any situation, he would not utter a single word no matter how bad their situation was. Now with Kyouya openly declaring it, it seemed like the doomsday had finally hit the host club. No one spoke for several minutes.

"You mean that we won't be able to hold their graduation party" Haruhi asked concerned. She didn't want their seniors to graduate without a celebratory party that was due to them. Haruhi usually scoffed at the extravagance of all the things they did in the host club, but for once, she looked forward to doing something exuberant for her graduating sempais.

"We won't be able to a graduation party that lives up to at least our usual standards. I would have usually put in my own money in such tight situations until the profits were blooming enough to take back my invested money. But currently I myself am in a tight situation" Kyouya sighed.

"We didn't know we were in such a bad situation." Kaoru said breaking the unusual silence that settled over the host club. 'No wonder that Kyouya sempai was pissed lately' he thought.

"It's okay Kyo-chan. You don't have to hold a graduation party for us. It doesn't make a difference as long as we are together" Hunny said not wanting to burden Kyouya anymore when he has been doing a lot lately to keep their club intact in spite of this financial crisis. It looked like he hadn't slept for at least two days. Hunny couldn't help but smile at the thoughtfulness and effort Kyouya showed toward their graduation party even though he pretended he remained friends with them only for his own benefit. Somehow, the long faces of the host club members after hearing the sad news seemed to have greater meaning than any graduation party they could give!

Mori placed his calloused hand on Kyouya's shoulder to show that he completely agreed with what Hunny had said earlier.

Kyouya noticing Mori's gesture and pushed his spectacles up so that the light seemed to glint of it. "That's why I had asked the all the members to stay back so that we can discuss about how we can gather enough money in time so that we can have a graduation party"

"So sempai, let me guess somehow letting everyone know that I am a girl is a part of making money for their graduation party" Haruhi asked

Kyouya just smirked "you prove that you are a not just honour student for no reason." He said his glasses glinting "yes I am going to use your secret to the best of my ability to rake in profits that would be put into honey and Mori sempai's graduation party"

"But how did you guess that Haruhi" Hikaru asked bewildered as to how Haruhi was able to deduce what was running in their Shadow king's mind

"Well Kyouya sempai seemed quite unperturbed about revealing my secrets earlier, which meant that he must have given it some thought and that seemed a bit unlike him because naturally he would devote all his energies to get us out of this tight spot, unless revealing my gender was his way to do that" Haruhi said.

All except Hunny and Mori and Kyouya of course gasped audibly. Hunny and Mori were quite used to this as they had their dose of shock when they overheard Kyouya and Haruhi's conversation. Kaoru couldn't help but notice that Hikaru once again had this melancholic yet wilful expression on his face.

Tamaki was still his goofy self, still trying to think of ways to prove to Haruhi that he could do something productive as well.

"So, let us begin, shall we?" Kyouya said immediately gaining everyone's attention

"Haruhi it is your task to convince Renge that you are a girl."

"You do realise that even after realising that I am a girl, she'll still be in denial for a long, long time to come" Haruhi sighed. Dealing with Renge was not on the top of her priorities list.

"Well, do whatever you've to do in order to get her out of her denial and make her accept the fact by the end of the host club session tomorrow. I trust that you'll handle it well because it is essential that we have Renge's support throughout this and her adoration for you remains intact even after she finds out that you are girl"

"I can already tell that tomorrow is going to be a long day"

"Why do we need Renge's help in the first place, Kyouya Sempai?" kaoru asked

"Ne, Kyo-chan, just a day will not be enough for Haru-chan to do that seeing as how Renge-chan can get sometimes" Hunny said already fretting for Haruhi. It is not going to be walk in the park for all he knew.

"You'll understand it in due time." Kyouya as usual brushed of their queries sticking to his usual inscrutable self "Now since that's taken care of, we have to think about the many theme-hosting that we have to do before the party. However, we cannot do anything extravagant, as we have to keep our budget in mind. It must be minimal yet interesting"

"Can't we relive some of our earlier themes? Now I know that we don't repeat themes but given that Hunny and Mori sempai will be graduating in a few weeks we can have something like a trip down the memory lane kind of a thing where we'll be just reliving some of our most popular themes"

"Interesting. Yes, we could actually do that. That would save as a lot of money as we don't have to order new costumes" he said as he was writing in his notebook. "But it would only be good and interesting enough if we do it a week or so before the party. Any earlier than that, it wouldn't have the desired effect. So we have to do something for the couple of weeks before that"

"Ahhh…Kyouya sempai" Hikaru piped uncertainly

"Yes Hikaru" Kyouya asked

"You order costumes for from one of our mother's boutique right?"

"Yes most of the designs are created by your mother herself. But sometimes it's done by designers working for her. There's never been any compromise in the quality of work. So I do always order from them, even though it is not the cheapest option!"

"Well. We could design the costumes for the upcoming themes at a lesser price." Kaoru who knew what his brother was thinking almost all the time was taken aback at this. He had absolutely no idea as to where Hikaru was going with this.

"What …." Hikaru added defensively, feeling uncomfortable with the weird looks he was getting from Hunny and Mori and Kyouya was looking at him as if he was seeing him for the first time. Haruhi was looking at him with something akin to pride in her eyes.

'Hika-chan has really matured over the time. Even though he is still his mischievous self, he has started thinking about the future' Hunny thought.

"Well, I cannot make a payment in advance. Even though both you and Kaoru are the sons of a famous designer, I'm yet to see your work. This also means that you'll show me your design, two weeks prior to the theme giving me enough time to order the costumes from outside if I am not satisfied with your work. If you agree to this, I'll consider your proposal." Kyouya said.

Hikaru was pissed off at Kyouya's reply 'I'm offering a way for us to cut down on our expenses and he's treating me like some kind of novice. Who does he think he's dealing with, I'm not a Hitachiin if I cannot design some stupid costumes for the club' he thought. He was about express his thoughts verbally, when Kaoru cut across wisely "don't underestimate the Hitachiin brothers, sempai. We will work under your conditions but remember, since this is our first business venture we would also like a pay worthy of our effort"

"Of course you have my word Kaoru" Kyouya smiled for the first time that day. "That settles it then, if we can cut down our expenses on the costumes then we can have no issues left to deal with. As they promised Hunny and Mori sempai would be visiting, the host club at least twice even after their graduation. I have acquired the chairman's permission for this, so there shouldn't be any problem during the next year. Now, there is this aspect of telling everyone that Haruhi is a girl. I'll arrange a meeting for you with Renge tomorrow, Haruhi" Kyouya summarised everything. He felt thoroughly exhausted but there was something; he had to talk to Haruhi about.

Everyone bid their goodbyes and this time before anyone can offer Haruhi a ride back home, he stated, "Haruhi, I'll drop you home and on the way we'll discuss about your meeting with Renge" No one commented on it and just filed out of the room. Haruhi knew it was an offer rather an order. She didn't protest it she knew it would of be no use.

* * *

><p>When they were finally seated comfortably inside the limo, Kyouya offered her a large gift-wrapped packet. On Haruhi's enquiring look, he plainly stated "congratulations. You are promoted."<p>

"What are you talking about, sempai" Haruhi was totally clueless as to what was going on inside that head of his. He simply gestured her to open the package.

Quickly getting rid of the ribbon and wrapper, Haruhi found a brand new laptop which was very similar to what e owned and a cell phone. She was bewildered and speechless. Kyouya didn't simply give gifts to anyone randomly without any reason

As if reading her mind he said, "You'll need them as from today you'll be working as my secretary"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT. When did I ever agree to that?" She blurted out.

" well if my memory serves me right, you did promise me that you would anything that I ask you to, ANYTHING AT ALL" putting the emphasis on the last three words

"Besides seeing as true gender will be revealed soon enough, you'll need a reason to be a part of the host club. Once everyone knows you are girl, you cannot carry on being a host now, can you?" Haruhi was sitting across him looking rather blanched.

For some odd reason, he liked eliciting all sorts of reaction from her.

After a few moments of silence, Haruhi finally gave in, "what would I have to do as your secretary?"

"Well now that I am starting my own business, I have a lot more work to do than before. I would have to meet people and have lunch appointments and talk about deals…. Therefore, I won't be around most of the time from now on, which means that I won't be able to host club finances single handed like usually did. That's where you come in…you'll draw out our budget, keep a tab of all the expenses with appropriate vouchers and of course aid me organizing the themes for the club. And of course you'll also manage my schedule, and do some other secretarial stuff like going over quotations and contracts and other legalities."

"That's a load of work!" she blurted out. She knew what he gave her was only half of what he did. 'The entire work load must have taken its toll on him. Probably that's why he needs someone to support him and handle some of the tasks.' She thought.

She didn't mind the work though, she would choose Kyouya's offer any day over hosting. But what really surprised her was the fact that he had chosen to rely on her. Kyouya wasn't the type of person to rely on anyone except himself. This showed, how much he trusted her and it warmed her heart. It also didn't escape her notice that he had told her what he wanted in a straightforward way. The usual Kyouya would have just made her agree to become his secretary without offering any explanations as to why he was doing it. Now that she thought about it, he had stopped hiding behind a mask whenever he was talking to her, lately. She was looking at Kyouya sans pretences, stripped of his façade.

"Well, once you stop hosting you can use up that time to do all this work. I strongly advise you to learn more on corporate law as that would not only interest you but I'll also be asking for your advice on certain issues whenever I deem necessary."

"I see that I have no other option. Errand boy to host and now the shadow king's secretary just when I thought my life couldn't get any weirder" she sighed.

Kyouya smiled at this "unlike your previous positions you'll be paid for your work, Haruhi"

At this Haruhi's head snapped up and before she could say anything, Kyouya said, "it wouldn't do the Ootori name any good if my first employee doesn't get a salary. Your salary will be deposited in a bank account to which you'll not have any access to until you graduate from Ouran. So, You'll don't have to worry about the school rules."

She couldn't help but smile. Kyouya always thought about everything and was prepared was all contingencies. That was one of the traits of Kyouya, which had attracted her. 'Wait… Attracted...Where did that come from?' the stopping of the limo pulled her from her musings. She opened the door and started climbing the steps to her apartment with Kyouya following her.

* * *

><p>When she opened the door to her apartment, she got the shock of her life. There, sitting and chatting over a cup of coffee was Kyouya's father.<p>

Kyouya was wondering as to why Haruhi was standing still stuck to the spot in front of her. So, he stopped right behind her and cocked his sideways to get a good view. Every cell of his body tensed and he instantly stiffened. He pushed Haruhi aside and barged in.

"What are you doing here father?" he asked calmly though his posture indicated otherwise.

Yoshio knew the moment he saw his son that he stayed a bit longer than necessary. He was amused when he saw how angry Kyouya was. Thus, he decided to play along.

"Since you are here, I might as well go back home with you." he said.

" I am glad that you had taken some time off of your busy schedule to meet with Haruhi's father even though I don't see as to why you would do that" he said anger lacing his voice in spite of his control. He knew that his father being here meant that Haruhi and her father would be facing the brunt of his wrath for the way Haruhi had behaved towards him.

Haruhi didn't know what to do. She knew that Kyouya's father was a very strict man who had slapped his son in the public just because he was a part of a silly club. Kyouya was not in his calm and collected state that much she could infer from his posture and the clenching of his jaw. She was surprised that Kyouya was slowly losing control and attributed it to his fatigue. She slowly entered the room and stood beside Kyouya brushing her hand slowly against his. (Though this act did was noticed, by the two older men in the room) she bowed slightly and said "good evening Ootori-san" Yoshio nodded towards acknowledging her.

When he felt Haruhi's hand against his, he instantly cooled down. He realised that his anger will only cause more trouble for Haruhi and Ranka-san and decided to take in the circumstances first before reacting.

"I thought it was obvious, Kyouya. I wanted to meet up with the father of the famous Honour student, after all Haruhi-san here seems to be quite a promising young lady."

"Oh my, my Ootori san you are being too generous with your praises. She's just another regular student. But I am really glad that you have taken a keen interest in my baby girl." He cooed in a gleeful manner and went completely into his fan-girl mode.

Kyouya saw through Ranka's act but he also sensed that Ranka was calm and at ease. Thus he concluded that his father didn't' threaten Ranka-san in any way. For that, he thanked Kami.

Nevertheless, there was fishy about the entire situation. His eyes flickered to something glittering on the table near the coffee cups. He casually walked into the room and said, "Now you're being rather modest Ranka-san. Father is right; Haruhi is a promising young lady, who had entered the Ouran academy because of her intelligence and diligence. She shines in not only academics but also in people's heart. No girl could make herself an irreplaceable part of lives of six young men who are from wealthy and highly influential families in a short amount of time, like the way Haruhi did. Six young men who would do anything, anything at all for her even if it involves facing off against someone powerful." Though he had addressed Ranka-san, his words were directed at his own father.

Yoshio smirked knowing that his son had clearly packed a warning with his last statement. He never thought Kyouya would ever dare to such a thing. Probably he cared for Haruhi more than thought. This made Yoshio feel victorious and he sent a glance towards Ranka who was grinning. Ranka turned his eyes toward Kyouya when he noticed some movement near the table. Kyouya stood up straight after picking up a wallet, which he had dropped accidentally.

"Well I think I should take my leave. I don't want to keep my father waiting. I'll take up Haruhi's used stuff some other time"

"Oh. Goodbye, Kyouya. It was nice to meet you Ootori san. Please do visit us if you have any time to spare. And oh, Haruhi you should apologise to Ootori san. You have him disrespected him by speaking to him in a rude way in public. Yet he has been kind enough towards you" Ranka said just to keep Kyouya's suspicions at bay. The boy clearly didn't take anything that was happening here at face value.

Haruhi slightly bowed her head and said, "I apologise for the way I behaved Ootori-san, but I will not apologise for what I said"

Yoshio couldn't help the smile that curved his lips 'She's like Toko to the core' he thought. "Haruhi-san what you did that day was to defend an Ootori. Sticking to an Ootori is never a mistake, therefore I don't expect you to apologise for it"

Kyouya was both pleased and shocked to hear his father's words. After the incident at the Ouran fair, his father had not even uttered a single word to him. 'Did he just call me an Ootori now? I thought he had considered me disgrace to an Ootori name' he thought. However, he kept his face impassive and followed his father out of the apartment but not before giving a Haruhi a look of assurance.

Ranka was glad that it was over. He had asked Yoshio to keep his true identity a secret as Haruhi had no idea about it. He knew that Yoshio would keep his promise. So, he had no worries about it at all, until Kyouya showed up. He had never been so glad to see Kyouya leave his apartment. He knew Kyouya would not let this incident rest unlike Haruhi and would definitely get to the bottom of it. The boy's guarded expression indicated that from this moment he will be target of his suspicions as well. Man the way he was moving around the room slowly and casually like a predator gave him the creeps. "Hey wait just a second. Why did he move around the room….oh shit' he thought. He turned around to see the table and knew instantly what was missing.

Kyouya was half way down the stairs with his father two steps below him when he heard Ranka's yell. "Wait a minute Kyouya"

Kyouya stopped and so did Yoshio wondering what the matter was.

"Kyouya, you had taken something that belongs to me by MISTAKE when you had picked up your wallet" emphasising on the word mistake.

Yoshio couldn't help but chuckle when he saw Kyouya reluctantly handing back a CD to Ranka. 'Maybe Yoji was right, he may indeed surpass me' he thought and cast a final look towards Ranka before heading towards the waiting limo.


	3. Chapter 3

This is the story of a certain feared and most respected corporate lawyer Haruhi Ootori and her husband the shrewdest businessman of all times Kyouya Ootori

**At ****the ****Hitachiin ****mansion, **

The twins' bedroom was in a mess. All kinds and colours of fabric were scattered across their bed and floor. Hikaru was on the couch, sketching designs. Kaoru was holding a sketch in his hand and pondering on what material and colour should be used for the design.

"Ne Hikaru, do you think beige would suit Mori sempai? Should I go for beige or mauve?" Kaoru asked.

"I think mauve would go well with him than beige, if we take his complexion into account" Hikaru replied without looking up from the design that he was currently sketching.

"Hmmmmm…."

"I can't believe that Kyouya sempai just gave us a week's time to complete the design. What is he thinking" he sighed, "we're not professionals. We would be pushed to our limits to make high-quality costumes that are up to the standards of the host club within a week"

"Probably that's what he wants us to be!" Kaoru said more to himself than Hikaru.  
>Hikaru's head snapped in Kaoru's direction "what do you mean?"<p>

"I think he wants us to act like professionals. He wants us to take this matter seriously and not indulge in any of our mischievous ideas"

"Yeah right…." Hikaru rolled his eyes "we hardly have enough time to make the costumes to think of any prank. Although I will come up with one or two after we finish the costumes"  
>Kaoru just sighed looking at the gleam in Hikaru's eyes at the prospect of extracting their revenge on the Shadow king.<p>

"Ne Hikaru. Why, did you make such a deal with Kyouya sempai, in the first place?"

"What are you talking about? You heard what he said. We had some financial problems. So, I decided to help, is all!"

"We could have helped in many ways. We could have asked mom to design the costumes for, free. It wouldn't have cost us much seeing as how we are …. Ummm...What does Haruhi call us … yeah, Damn Rich Bastards"

He noticed that at the mention of Haruhi's name, Hikaru had this strange expression on his face. 'At least now he is not isolating himself anymore. I thank kami for that' Kaoru thought. He concluded that Hikaru was isolating himself so that he could sort out his emotions and feelings. Therefore, he never troubled his brother, so far. 'Now would be a good time as any to confront him regarding this' he thought

"Well I wanted to do something on my own"

"We could have helped mom design some of the stuff, instead of shouldering the entire responsibility and also could have given the costumes to the club for free. That would have been a better option if you ask me" Kaoru prodded. He wanted to know Hikaru's real intention behind this. Even though they were twins and could easily read what was on the other's mind, Hikaru's sudden idea to make a deal with their Shadow king had him utterly surprised.

"You are not going to give up, are you?" Hikaru sighed deeply. He knew what his brother was trying to do. He also knew that, eventually, he would have to talk to his twin about his feelings, after all, they were twins. He was glad that Kaoru had given him time and never did push him to talk about his feelings. That was one of the things, he liked about his brother. 'It wouldn't be fair on my part, if I did not tell him my reason for this, when he had been so considerate in the first place' he thought.

Kaoru was grinning at this and said, "No, you should know that by now Hikaru"

"I wanted to do something that would make me worthy in the eyes of Haruhi. She doesn't care for wealth, name or fame. But that's all we have right now, nothing more. Unlike her, we have no aspirations, hopes, dreams or desire. I wanted to be more than the Hikaru Hitachiin that I am, right now. We were planning to do a major in Fashion designing once we got out of school, right? So, I thought it would be nice to have a business of our own, however, small. That's why I made a deal with Kyouya sempai to design costumes for lower price."

Kaoru didn't know what to say. He knew that Hikaru harboured feelings for Haruhi, but never realized that it was this deep. Nevertheless, he didn't want his brother to have false hopes, only to have his heart broken. At one point of time, he had thought that his twin might have a chance with Haruhi. Now that he knew the truth, he didn't want his brother to be in the dark.

"Hikaru…." He began, not knowing how to break the news gently to Hikaru "there's something I want to tell you…. You see…"

"I know Haruhi doesn't love me. To be truthful, I have known it for a while now." He said as he reclined on the couch and started staring at his hand. Kaoru gasped audibly. He didn't know how to react to this shocking revelation.

"I know that I cannot be her love. That's why I want to be someone significant, someone valuable and irreplaceable in her life, someone she'll be proud of" Hikaru added as he noticed the silence that hung between them.

"Hikaru are you sure you didn't injure your head when you fell down from the carriage, during the Ouran fair" Kaoru smirked. He was pleased to hear that his brother chose to move on.

"Very funny Kaoru and they think you are the mature twin" Hikaru said slightly annoyed.

"I am indeed the mature one because unlike you, I know that no matter what, we will still be important and irreplaceable people in Haruhi's life and so are the rest of the host club members."

"I guess you are right"

"So, since when did you know that Haruhi didn't love you?"

"Probably, from the time I realised that I loved Haruhi, which is since Karuizawa. Though, it was more of a subconscious thought. Haruhi never expressed love; all that I got from her was comfort, friendship and sympathy."

He looked at his brother who gave him a look of understanding and nodded his head signalling him to go ahead.

"However, during the Ouran fair, I finally realized that she doesn't love me as anything more than a friend. She was concerned when I was hurt, she cared about my well-being. Unlike you, she wasn't at my side, when I fell down. I know we are siblings who are very much dependent on each other. So, your reaction was natural. However, I would also expect the same reaction from the woman I love- to be able to quit everything and be at my side, when I am in need. Haruhi chose to go after Tamaki, even though I am glad that she did, but it did hurt when she did that. It took a while for me to accept it."

"You think she is in love with tono?"

"I didn't want to admit to this! I think it is someone else who has won Haruhi heart, right under our noses, when we were fighting all out for it. He is the shadow king after all."

"You realised that as well, han?"

"When I tried to sort my feelings, I constantly went over the Ouran fair incident. When she went ahead without us to bring back Tamaki sempai, I thought she was in love with him. You see, she was extremely upset that Tamaki sempai was leaving, so distressed that she didn't function like her usual self. Even in that fazed state, she was listening to Kyouya sempai. It was only Kyouya sempai, who could reach her"

"Yeah, now I remember! Even when I asked her to get on to the carriage, she was hesitant and unsure and completely unlike herself. But when Kyouya sempai told her to get back Tamaki sempai, she listened. She was probably subconsciously doing what Kyouya sempai told her to, when she rode the carriage on her own"

"Even though, I had realised it, I never thought it would be possible for them to fall in love. But after the past few weeks, it is evident that they are indeed in love"

"I never thought you would so willingly let go of Haruhi."

"The reason, I clung to Haruhi so much was because I thought we would never be able to find anyone else who would appreciate the fact that we are two different individuals. Now that we have met Haruhi, I have hope. There might be others out there who will love us for who we are."

"You are right" Kaoru ruffled his brother's hair and said, "We will both find someone who would like us for what we are."

"Ne Kaoru. Now that we know that Kyouya sempai is the one who has Haruhi's heart, what do you suggest we do?" Hikaru said his eyes glinting with mischief.

"I think we should annoy him and make him jealous. It would be nice to see Kyouya sempai blow his top for once"

"The more dangerous the task is the more thrills we get out of it, I guess" Hikaru and Kaoru chuckled at the image their brains had conjured up of a lovesick Shadow king. Soon their chuckles became laughter.

"I never thought that Kyouya sempai was the type to fall in love." He said

"Yeah, even now, I think one shouldn't use love and Ootori together in a sentence" kaoru added after their laughter died down.

"On the contrary my dear, Ootoris are known for love, in the world where only money matters. In fact, Yoshio's love story is quite famous in the business world. So I am not surprised that his son is in love" came a female voice. The twins looked up to see their mom standing by the door.

"Mom, were you eavesdropping." Hikaru accused.

Yuzuha scoffed and said "I was just passing by your rooms, when I heard you talking about your friend Kyouya being in love. It's not my fault that you guys were loud" she stood there as if she was offended by the accusation.

What the twins couldn't believe was the fact that Yoshio Ootori, who had slapped his son in public just because he was a part of a stupid club, could have ever fallen in love. However, coming from their mother, they knew it must be the truth because their mom and Yoshio Ootori were good friends, even before she became famous.

"You mean Kyouya sempai's father was in love as well. Now that's a major shock"

"Yeah, I know" their mother said as she walked into the room and sat on their bed "it is hard to believe the stern and calculative businessman could have ever fallen in love. The truth is he is a passionate man who will to do anything for the people he cares for, though rather discreetly. He also helped me indirectly when I was in a financial crisis at the beginning of my career." She said.

"Sounds like something that Kyouya sempai would do" Hikaru said

"Tell us more… did he marry the woman he loved?" Kaoru said hanging on to the juicy piece of information.

"Of course he did! Ootoris never rest until they get what they want. He even went to the extent of making enemies out of the Akiyama family."

"You mean his love had caused both the family to become mortal enemies. We didn't know that! We always thought they were rivals because of business" Kaoru said.

"Tell us what exactly happened?" Hikaru asked.

"Why don't you ask your friend Kyouya? I am sure he will give you a complete picture of what happened" she said as she started looking around the room. When she heard no reply, she turned around to see their dejected faces.

"It is not as easy as you think" Hikaru started

"To get any sort of information from him" Kaoru finished.

"I am sure you will find a way!" she said "Kyouya may be an Ootori, but you are the Hitachiin brothers!" she said with pride. She knew that her sons had inherited her trademark mischievous nature. She prided herself on the fact that she and Yoji, her partner in crime, were the only ones capable of making the stoic Ootori patriarch lose his cool. The thought of Yoji however, made her little bit sad. She didn't know, what had happened to him and his daughter, after his wife had died. Therefore, she decided to focus on the real reason, which had brought her to the twins' room.

"Speaking of Kyouya, he seems to be giving you a hard time, doesn't he?" she said, picking up one of the designs, from the couch.

"Yeah, but how did you know?" The twins said simultaneously.

"He called to say that he would no longer be placing orders of the host club costumes with me as he had found another designer. To tell you the truth I was pissed at this but that was until he told that you guys were the new designers. You know, I am extremely proud of you both" she said hugging the twins.

"Now, I know you want to do this on your own, but let me give you a hand. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to finish it within a week." she said.

The twins nodded their agreement and set to work.

* * *

><p><strong>Few days later:<strong>

Haruhi sighed for the umpteenth time that day. She was finally able to convince Renge that she was a girl. Even after feeling her blazer- covered chest for the physical proof of her true gender, Renge was still in denial. It had taken a convincing and heart-wrenching narration on her part as to how a commoner like she wouldn't be able to pay her debt if she didn't work as a host, to bring Renge out of denial.

However, her final statement of 'I wouldn't blame you if you hated me, Renge' did the trick. At this Renge had immediately perked up and had declared in a Tamaki like fashion "don't worry Haruhi, I would protect you from all the troubles and support you. It is my duty as the manager of the Host club"

Upon hearing this, Kyouya had taken Renge outside the clubroom to discuss something and that was half an hour ago.

"What is he doing with Renge for so long?" She said aloud to no one, in particular. She was feeling a bit annoyed, for some reason, that Kyouya was spending half an hour to talk to Renge. In addition, the fact that he had pulled her out of the clubroom just to talk didn't sit well with her.

Hunny, caught the poorly concealed anger in her statement. Mori went to her side and said, "I am sure they are just talking about business"

Hunny joined them as well "Don't worry Haru-can. You are the only girl who can capture Kyo chan's attention for reasons other than business" he said innocently.

Something about Hunny's tone made her think that the statement wasn't innocent at all. The twins draped their hands across her shoulders and slid next her on the couch.

"It seems that our toy" Hikaru started

"misses the Shadow King" Kaoru finished.

"Don't worry, Haruhi. I'll be always there for you, even when Mommy is not around" Tamaki announced dramatically.

Ignoring Tamaki, she said, "It's not like I miss him or anything! He's just late, and he has to come and explain the remaining part of the plan to us. It's already getting late"

"Our toy is getting rather defensive" Hikaru said.

"It seems that way" Kaoru agreed.

"You shady twins! Get your hands off my Haruhi" Tamaki said.

"Why the possessive, tono" they said in a singsong way.

At this, the door swung open, revealing a pleased looking Kyouya. One look at Kyouya's face, Haruhi felt a strange anger bubble in her chest. Usually, she would have been happy to see a pleasant Kyouya. However, the fact that he was pleased after talking to Renge irked her for some odd reason.

Kyouya was, to say the least, surprised when he saw the icy glare that Haruhi was giving him. 'If anyone has to be glaring, it should be me. The twins are all over her, and yet she's glaring at me, not at them!' he thought

Mori saw the possessiveness that the couple exhibited, without their knowledge. Kyouya was glaring at the twins and Haruhi was glaring at Kyouya. Mori just concluded the feelings they held for each other were growing strong. However the glares from Kyouya did not faze the twins, they ended hugging her more. Hunny decided to break the ongoing staring contest.

"Kyo chan, what are you planning to do?"

"You see, sempai… it is a sensitive issue, and we need to do a lot more planning than suddenly throwing the news to everyone on one fine day. Therefore, we will do it three stages. First, we'll have to convince Renge to help us, which we've accomplished, thanks to Haruhi. Second: we'll make Renge to break the news to our guests. I have already talked to Renge about this." Kyouya explained.

"So that host club can, opt out of taking the blame. I Should have seen that coming" Haruhi said acidly while trying desperately to wiggle out of twins grasp.

Kyouya smirked "so what else did you expect? You obviously didn't expect us to go and tell them the truth. That would totally damage the image of the hosts, and will not do the club any good, if our guests find out that we were willingly deceiving them, for the past year"

"Scheming bastard," she muttered under her breath as she got out of the twins' grasp and stood up. What she didn't notice was that Kyouya was almost grinning now!

"So, what will be the reason for Haruhi to hide her gender, if not the debt? We need to give our guests some reason, don't we?" Hikaru asked.

"We'll have to spread a well-crafted lie that Haruhi was a spy assigned by the headmaster at the request of parents, to check whether the conduct of the host club towards their guests was appropriate. This will be Haruhi's reason for hiding her gender. The headmaster has agreed to this because he had indeed received some requests from parents regarding this aspect. However, he'll not openly announce this or deny this. So, it is a win-win situation for everyone."

"So what is Renge's role here?" Kaoru asked.

Kyouya pushed his glasses up his nose and said, "Renge is our self-proclaimed manager, and she has a deeper understanding of our clients' need. Our guests also seem to give importance to Renge's opinion. Thus coming from her, they'll accept the news easily and of course, she'll promise to release a doujinshi based on Haruhi's experiences in the host club within a week or so. That should keep our guests and Renge satisfied. I have talked about this to Renge, and we'll be able to make some profit out of the sales of the doujinshi. This has to happen this week so that we'll be able to make money in time for the graduation party."

"When are you going to tell the entire school that Haruhi is a girl? It is not enough only for our guests to know" Mori asked, picking out the missing detail.

"We'll finally declare the truth before the entire school at the graduation party, after all you wanted that to be your Graduation gift" he said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Everyone was confused. The fan girls will gossip and spread the truth about Haruhi's gender to the school before the graduation party. Therefore, Kyouya's plan to tell the truth to the rest of the school at the graduation party didn't make any sense. It was Mori, who voiced the thoughts running in everyone's mind. "Why?"

Kyouya took a deep breath before explaining his plan. "By then, many gossips, rumours and speculations about Haruhi would have spread through the school so much so that the students will not know what to believe. Since, it is just rumours and speculations, none of them would dare to confront her during the time. In the three weeks time that we have before the graduation party, their initial shock, anger or any other negative feelings towards Haruhi caused by the rumours would be replaced by the curiosity to know the truth about her.

At the graduation party, none of them will be hostile to her. Although, we won't openly declare her reason for hiding the truth, people will obviously believe the reason that we had spread earlier."

The twins and Tamaki were still blinking owlishly obviously not understanding a word of what Kyouya had said.

"It is like celebrity gossip. When rumours about celebrities spread, people react to it. Those who support the celebrity, those who don't and those who've neutral feelings about the celebrity, all react differently depending on the type of rumour. Rumours are rumours, thus they cannot assume anything as a fact. Nevertheless, they will start speculating. Over the time, all the initial chaotic reactions fade, and they'll only expect the celebrity to confirm or deny the rumour, nothing more."

Now the twins were nodding their heads appreciatively. Even, Tamaki was smiling proudly.

Kyouya smirked "celebrity gossip, really? I didn't, expect you to take that as an analogy. I mean, I thought you were the type of person who could care less about celebrities, showbiz and stuff"

"Well sempai, I am that type of person. For all I care, they could all vanish into the thin air one day. However, lawyers have to be aware of the world so that they can get their points across to all types of people"

Kyouya was about to open his mouth to say something when the twins jumped on Haruhi, hugging her tightly "No wonder you are an Honour student" they chimed. Tamaki tried to chase the twins away and hug Haruhi simultaneously.

Kyouya just fisted his hands "Hikaru, Kaoru… I wish to discuss something with you"

Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other and gulped 'Oh no. We took too much risk! He's probably annoyed as hell' they thought.

The rest of the members bid their goodbyes and filed out, leaving the nervous twins with an annoyed Kyouya.

Mori was walking next to Haruhi with Hunny on his shoulders. Tamaki was a few steps behind her. They were about to reach the main entrance of the school when he intercepted her. "It is a bit late than usual Haruhi. Come on, I'll give you a ride home" he said. He had wanted to have some time alone with Haruhi, for a while, without the intervention of anyone. 'Now is my chance' he thought.

"Sorry sempai, Kyouya sempai has already offered me a ride." She said

"What? When did he…? He is inside the clubroom with the twins, right now!" he almost yelled at his lost chance.

"Actually, I am supposed to wait outside the gates for him" she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"When did Kyo-chan…" Hunny began and stopped abruptly when he saw Kyouya and twins walking towards them. The twins were grinning excitedly even though they had just spent some moments alone with Kyouya. Haruhi associated their expressions with the one that they had when they tried to shove her into one of those girly dresses.

Kyouya came to stand beside Haruhi and said, "Come on Haruhi. It is already late." Tamaki snapped after hearing this. The fact that Kyouya was giving her rides back home almost every day and that Haruhi never turned his offer down, annoyed him. Almost every time he wished to drop her home, Haruhi would decline.

"Why does mommy always get to take Haruhi to her home? Mommy is monopolizing Haruhi all the time. Haruhi, you'll come with me today" Tamaki whined and was about to grab her hand when he realised that Kyouya was emitting his evil aura. All except Haruhi took a step back, just to ensure their safety.

"Listen you moron! I get to give Haruhi a ride back home because of two reasons. One: Ranka-san would kill you the instant he sees you at his doorstep. Two: Haruhi is my secretary, so there are things that I will discuss with her during these rides. Moreover from this day forth, I will be picking her up in the morning and dropping her back home after school, everyday." Kyouya finished in icy tones just as his limo came to a stop in front of him.

"Since when did Haruhi become your secretary?" Tamaki asked perplexed with the new revelation.

"As Haruhi can no longer work as a host she needed a legitimate reason to be in the host club without stirring up jealousy amidst our guests and I needed a secretary. Therefore, I offered Haruhi the job. Here onwards, she would be handling most of the work in the host club in my lieu"

Kyouya entered his limo without saying anything more. Haruhi bid her goodbyes and followed Kyouya leaving the rest of the hosts a bit stunned. Tamaki walked towards his limo, seething with jealousy and anger. 'Now I will never be able to get some time alone with her' he thought as he sat in his limo.

Haruhi couldn't help but fidget in the limo. Kyouya was emitting his usual dark vibes. She didn't want to spend the entire ride back with Kyouya in his dark mood. She loved these rides with Kyouya. They would end up talking about all sorts of things…the host club, his business, her dreams, her dad's antics, his sister's tantrums and so on. Sometimes they would just sit next to each other with an amicable silence between them. She didn't want it to be ruined by his bad mood.

"Tamaki sempai was just being his usual obnoxious self. You of all people should know that!" she said.

"I know…. I know. Even then, sometimes I feel like kicking him or even better biting him like Hunny sempai did."

"Actually, that's exactly what I did to my father when he forced me into wearing a pink dress"

"I know! He showed me the scar. I must say, I was pretty impressed" Kyouya smirked at Haruhi's attempt to lighten his mood.

"Impressed at the scar or impressed with my strong set of teeth?" she asked playfully.

"No, Impressed at the fact that you could bite because I always assumed that you were all bark and no bite"

Haruhi's expression was halfway between a scowl and pout and she crossed her arm across her chest defiantly. Somehow, she seemed very alluring at the moment. 'No wonder Tamaki pulls her into a hug every time he finds her finds her expression cute"

Kyouya couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. His number one current pastime was to elicit different reaction from her and he was enjoying it very much. When inquired, he just said, "Tamaki would have bestowed you with a killer hug, if he ever saw that expression on your face." Haruhi smiled and soon they fell into their usual rhythm. When they were about to reach her neighbourhood, Kyouya handed her a file.

"This file contains all the details about the Akiyama zaibatsu including the profile of the board members. I think you should go through this, as I plan to buy this company." He said.

"Weren't you, planning on buying another small pharmaceutical company just a few days ago?" Haruhi asked. She had already gone over the legal documents and contracts for any errors and set up appointments for him with the board members of the company.

"I intend to buy that company and two or three other companies before I get hold of the Akiyama zaibatsu, as it will take some time to acquire it"

"Is Akiyama zaibatsu, a powerful one?" She asked, curious to know more about the company.

"The Akiyama family doesn't have an heir for the past 16 years. Even then, the company has strong roots to be able to hold on for this long, without an heir. Their business is also in the medical field just like us, to be truthful; they were some serious competitors to the Ootori family some 16 years ago. However, their focus is on pharmaceuticals and research about medicines. That's why I think the Akiyama zaibatsu would make a good starting point for me."

"Now, I understand. The Akiyama zaibatsu has a strong foundation, yet lacks in management. So it would be easier for you to acquire it and restore it," she said cocking her head to a side, as she usually did whenever she was thinking.

"Exactly, you catch up pretty quickly Haruhi" Kyouya smiled and added, "By the way; did you manage to find the real reason as to why my father had visited your father? Something about the entire situation is really fishy!"

"No I couldn't, sempai. Whenever, I approach the topic my dad changes the subject quickly, dodging all my questions. I even went through his room, but I couldn't find the CD as well. One thing is sure; my dad has been extremely cheerful and happy after that incident. He didn't even ask me once this week, if Tamaki sempai was trying to get fresh with me at school. His happiness must have made him forget about Tamaki sempai, for some time" Haruhi sighed at her Father's weirdness. "If he doesn't want me to know about the reason behind your father's visit, he'll not let it slip. He can be pretty stubborn sometimes"

Kyouya nodded his head and said, "I understand. At least now, I know where you get your stubbornness from"

Haruhi was about to retort when the limo stopped. She got out of it and bid Kyouya goodbye.

"Message me my schedule for tomorrow Haruhi and I will see at host club tomorrow" he said.

* * *

><p><strong>The next day,<strong>

Haruhi was feeling extremely nervous as she walked towards the music room three. Today all their guests would know that she was a host. She knew that some of them will be jealous and others, especially her regulars will be in denial. It was going to take a lot of time for her guests to accept her. She hoped that Kyouya's plan would work well without any hitches. She didn't want any of the girls to hate her.

She opened the door to the music room three and walked in, to see the grinning faces of Tamaki and the twins.

"Haruhi, it is better that you change now, so that the twins will enough time to apply your makeup" Kyouya said, without glancing up from his laptop.

"I didn't know that we were cosplaying today" she said surprised.

"No we are not," Hikaru said grabbing her left arm.

"You're the only one who's going to change" Kaoru said grabbing her right arm

Before she could protest, they pushed her into the changing rooms. She sighed, thinking that it will be one of the girly dresses, which Tamaki and the twins would like to see on her.

She was surprised when she found a fuchsia -spaghetti top, a white sequined knee-length skirt and a denim waistcoat laid out on the table. There was also a pair of pink ballet pumps that complemented her top. Overall, the outfit was a bit girly but nothing dramatic. She thanked kami for that.

She walked out of the room unknowingly right into Tamaki's embrace. He began to spin her like a mad man. She was about to call for Mori sempai, when she was pulled out of Tamaki's embrace by Mori himself. Just as she was taking in the much-needed air, something small collided with her stomach knocking the breath out of her. Instinctively, she knew it was Hunny sempai. "Haru chan, you look soooooooooo cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute in that outfit" he said cheerfully and finally let go of her.

All the hosts surrounded her by now. After she had calmed down, she thanked the twins "Thanks you guys, you know I am glad that you didn't pick out any elaborate dress for me. But I would like to know why I have to wear this"

"Oh we wanted to, but we had to follow the specifications that Kyouya sempai gave us yesterday about your outfit." they said simultaneously. 'so that's why he asked the twins to stay behind' she thought.

"We want everyone to latch on to the fact that you are a girl, as soon as we reveal the truth, which will be quite a difficult task seeing that they believed you were a guy, for a year now. Even if you wear a girl's uniform, they might just think you're cosplaying or something. So we needed an outfit, which would completely give you a girlish look, but at the same time would not make our guests jealous"

'Leave it to Kyouya sempai to take care of even the minutest details' she thought. All her earlier nervousness vanished as she put her faith and trust on Kyouya to do the right thing.

"You can make a dress for her when you are designing the costumes for the graduation party" he said to the twins.

The gratitude that she felt moments ago was now replaced by an urge to strangle him.

The twins forced her to sit on a couch as the rest of the hosts stood surrounding her. They had started applying makeup while Kyouya was shooting instructions at them.

"Don't go overboard! Keep it minimal. Accentuate her eyes" after some thought he added "and perhaps her lips as well. It should be enough to highlight her natural feminine look. Give her hair a slightly tousled appearance. That should do."

"You seem to have quite a clear idea about her looks Kyo-chan. I must say your suggestions are more in-depth than what I would expect from the twins" Hunny said.

Kyouya could clearly catch an undertone in Hunny's intonation and he replied coldly "I was the first person to realise that Haruhi was a girl. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise if I could judge correctly what would make her look more feminine"

Hunny had to suppress his giggle at Kyouya's defensive reaction. The twins were smirking. 'He seems to know more about what would make Haruhi look good more than us' Hikaru thought.

Once Haruhi was deemed perfect by the twins, every one surrounded her to get a better look at her. Even though he stood to the side, he was scanning her from head to toe. He had to admit that she seemed very alluring even in that simple outfit. Her eyes were captivating than usual and her lips well defined. She seemed very innocent and sensual at the same time.

Like always Hunny, Tamaki and the twins were complimenting her looks. Haruhi turned deaf ears to their excited squeals of 'you're so cute' after a minute. Her eyes flickered towards Kyouya who was standing on the sidelines and accessing her. The way he was looking at her caused her to blush and like a flood, the memories of the Okinawa incident inundated her mind. She was trying not to get flustered when she heard Kyouya's voice "you can keep that outfit Haruhi, I think it might be handy if such situations arise in the future"

She found Kyouya walking back to his usual place. She felt pleased and disappointed at the same time.

* * *

><p><strong>After the end of the club<strong>

Haruhi stomped to Kyouya's usual place and said "Didn't you tell me that I wouldn't have to host anymore?" she was thoroughly pissed at the fact that she had to spend the hosting hours to answer all sorts of questions the fan girls were throwing at her.

Kyouya nodded without even looking at her.

"Then explain what I was doing earlier, sempai" she yelled.

"Technically, you weren't hosting them; you were just giving them an interview. Let's use your celebrity analogy, shall we? Once something about the private life of the celebrities is revealed, people obviously want to hear all the juicy details from the celebrities themselves. To appease the curiosity of the audience, a string of interviews follows. So you will be giving these interviews to our guests until the doujinshi is released." Kyouya said. He was grinning at Haruhi's annoyance. She seemed enticing with her pouting lips and narrowed eyes.

"Sneaky Bastard" Haruhi muttered under her breath and opened her laptop and started going through Kyouya's mail. She had pulled out her cell phone to check, if Kyouya had any time available during the week ahead so that she could squeeze in one more meeting for him. She was so intent on her work that she didn't see the twins head popping on her right side and Tamaki's on the left.

"Haruhi" Tamaki squeaked nervously "since when do you have a laptop"

"And it is an expensive one too" Hikaru said.

"So is the phone that she is having!" Kaoru said.

"What happened to the phone we gave you" they said together.

"I have this phone and laptop since the day I became Kyouya sempai's secretary and I still have the phone you guys gave me and I am using it as my personal phone"

Kyouya was still working on his own laptop and did not bother commenting on it. Hunny's head popped up besides Haruhi out of nowhere" Haru chan. Why are you going through the details of the Akiyama Zaibatsu?"

"One of my tasks to do as Kyouya sempai's secretary" she said in a monotone.

The instant they heard the Akiyama name, the twins shared a glance. This was the right opportunity to know more about what their mother had hinted at.

"Isn't the Akiyama family rivals to the Ootoris in business" Hunny asked.

Before Kyouya could say a word, the twins said, "We heard from our mom that business is not the reason for the rivalry between the two families. It was love"

"WHAT?" Tamaki, Hunny and Haruhi yelled simultaneously. Even the ever stoic Mori was shocked.

"It seems that Kyouya sempai's dad" Kaoru started

"Had made enemies out of the Akiyama to marry the woman he loved" Hikaru finished.

Kyouya looked up from his laptop to see seven pairs of eyes looking at him expectantly.

"Yeah, yeah…..what Hikaru and Kaoru just said is true" he said before going back to wearing out the keys of his laptop.

"Please… Tell us the full story, Kyouya. I want to hear it. Love in a world of business—that sounds amazing." Tamaki said dramatically

"I never thought your father was the type to fall in love. Please tell us the story Kyo chan" Hunny squealed.

They wanted to know how the stern and shrewd Yoshio Ootori had become the victim of love. They knew the love story of the chairman Yuzuru Suoh. Therefore, they felt a need to learn more about the love story of Yoshio Ootori. 'It might shed some insight into why Kyo chan is attracted to Haru chan' Hunny thought. The twins were also thinking something similar to Hunny

"Why don't you ask Hikaru and Kaoru? They seem to know about it" Kyouya said not wanting to recount the tale of his father's love.

"Well actually, our mom told us only that much. She never narrated the entire story" the twins said.

"Fine…." Kyouya gave in.

"My dad met my mom when he was 25 at one of the business parties hosted by the Akiyama family. Apparently, he was trying to escape from the air headed daughter of one of his business associates who was determined to marry my father. He was not engaged at that time and didn't have any love interests, so technically he couldn't provide a solid reason to keep this woman at bay. At this party, he had decided to get this woman off his back once and for all."

"The similarity between you and your father is very striking" the twins commented.

"As I was saying," he continued throwing the twins his signature death glare "having run out of ideas, he did one of the craziest things of his life. He acted way too familiar and cosy with the first lady that caught his attention, which turned out to be my mother. Soon the woman, who had pursued my dad earlier, gave up thinking that my mother was my father's love interest. But my mother who had never seen my father before thought that he was hitting on her and slapped him."

"How did she end up marrying your dad when she had slapped him, in the first place?" Tamaki asked knowing that the Ootoris were arrogant and proud to easily brush off something like that.

"That you would have to ask my father, Tamaki" Kyouya sighed.

"Shhhh…carry on Kyo chan" Hunny said caught up in the story

"My mother, Ayano Kaneko was at the party because she was the fiancée of the Seiichi Akiyama, the eldest son of the Akiyama family. Their engagement was publicly announced at the same party. My mother had obviously piqued my father's interest, which was quite natural seeing, as she was the only person to lay even a finger on my father, let alone slap. Gradually they became friends through several such parties and 'non-dates'. Eventually, they fell in love. My father had confessed his love for her a month before her wedding. My mother rejected him, even though she was in love with him seeing as how she was already engaged. My father was thoroughly pissed with this and he constantly tried to persuade her into cancelling the engagement and marriage."

"Wow, that must have been hard for him. " Haruhi said. Kyouya raised an eyebrow at Haruhi's words but continued.

"The Kaneko family sensed the threat my father posed and did everything to keep him from meeting my mom. Thus, until the day of the wedding, my mother was shifted to a secret location. My father couldn't find her, no matter what he did. So on the day of the wedding, he marched right up to her and demanded her to go with him if she felt even a fraction of the love that he had for her. My mother gave in and agreed to marry him. He walked away with her from the wedding ceremony. From that day, the Ootoris and Akiyamas have been rivals. There you have it"

"Oh… such conviction and courage. I never expected him to do something so irrational and impulsive." Tamaki said.

"Actually that's a running gag among our relatives. They say that whenever my mother was involved the mighty Ootori turned into a normal man." Kyouya said.

"Ano…..sempai? yesterday, you told me that the Akiyama family didn't have an heir for the past 16 years. So what happened to Seiichi Akiyama?"

"Actually, the Akiyama matriarch had two sons Seiichi and Ryoji. A few months after my dad's marriage, Seiichi died in a car accident along with his wife. Ryoji Akiyama took care of the business afterwards and became friends with my father. He eventually, fell in love with the Kotoko Igarashi, who was like a sister to my mother. However, the Igarashi and Akiyama had a family feud that had lasted for decades. Therefore, the matriarch of the Akiyama family opposed her second son's love. My father helped both Kotoko and Ryoji to elope. They had a daughter. But Kotoko Igarashi had died due to sickness and her husband went incognito with his daughter after his wife's death. So, no one knows if he is still alive"

For once Tamaki seemed rather sober. He didn't do or say anything dramatic or stupid. On the contrary, he seemed determined. He was looking at Haruhi, as the rest of the hosts fell into the chatter about the two love stories that they had just heard.

* * *

><p><strong>A few days later,<strong>

He had to rush to their hospital early in the morning as his elder sister had gone into labour. He knew he had to be there for his sister as their father and brothers would be "quite busy" this weekend. He snorted at the thought 'when aren't they ever busy'.

He got the shock of life, when he saw his father standing in front of her room next to her anxious husband. His relationship with his father was always somewhat strained. Now, the awkwardness was almost choking. His father raised an eyebrow at his dishevelled appearance (for he had just woken up when he got the call, so he just grabbed his mobile and wallet and pulled on a shirt before running right into the waiting limo) but didn't comment anything.

Apparently, his father thought of him as a disgrace to the Ootori name after he found out that the host club that he was a part of was one where guys just flirted with the girls and so why would he bother whether he looked like an impeccable Ootori or not.

He went and sat next to Mr. Shido, who was just fiddling his thumbs like a schoolboy awaiting his results. They could hear Fuyumi's yelps and cries of pain. Mr. Shido smiled weakly at him and asked, "So Kyouya what are you going to do to me now?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked a bit annoyed. He knew that Shido was a humble, generous and kind person at heart and that his sister loved him dearly. He still couldn't bring himself, to like him much. Probably, because in his heart, he always accused the man of stealing his sister away from him when his sister was his only source of love, affection and comfort in spite her annoying nature.

"Well, you did threaten me on my wedding day with something along the lines of worse than death or even hell, if I ever inflicted any kind of Pain or suffering upon your sister or if didn't treat her the way she deserved to be treated, like a queen" said Mr. Shido. He could still remember a 15-year old Kyouya saying those words with a menacing look in his eyes.

Shido had never been fond of the Ootori family in the least. He had always described the Ootoris as business machines. He is still surprised as to how Fuyumi turned out to be so much different from the rest of them. He had been really pissed at the fact that her family was dealing her wedding with a cold indifference, when she obviously loved all of them. Kyouya had entered the groom's room, seething with hatred that was directed towards him, looking ready to pound him to death. It was clear that the boy did not like him. When Kyouya had "threatened" him, he became fond of the boy. The simple act showed him, how much he loved his sister.

He had chuckled at Kyouya's words. It did nothing to subdue the boy's temper and he had replied in clipped tones "don't you ever dare to think that just because I am fifteen you can escape with anything. You would do better to remember I am an Ootori and as such I could easily make sure that you regret that you were ever born in this world if anything happens to Fuyumi" and walked out of the room.

Kyouya gave a tired sigh and cupped his face using both his hands. 'He has some nerve to bring up that incident bring that incident now of all times' he thought

"Even though, Fuyumi is gentle and kind, she's still an Ootori! So obviously, I don't want her behind my back if anything happens to her DEAR HUSBAND" he couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

Yoshio couldn't help but smile at Kyouya's comment. He still harboured some anger towards Shido, which was more than obvious with his reply. Kyouya was the most attached to Fuyumi as she was like a mother figure for him, ever since Ayano died. He knew that Kyouya considered his sister's marriage as something close to a betrayal and abandonment on his sister's part. When he had entered the groom's room, on the day of Fuyumi's wedding to make sure that Shido got his act right, he saw a wide-eyed Shido who said, " let me guess. You're here to frighten me into taking good care of Fuyumi, Aren't you?"

At that time, he had assumed that Shido was another one of those rich arrogant asses. Therefore, he had conveyed his message with a severity "Fuyumi is a bit different from the rest of us, she takes after her mother. She is a bit fragile and delicate. Treat her well. I am certain that you know what the consequences would be if I ever find out that she is not happy"

He had never anticipated the reply that he got from Shido. "Yeah I know. Your youngest son made sure that I got quite a clear picture of the consequences just a few minutes ago. Though I must admit you're a bit more subtle about the entire 'scaring the groom into taking good care of the bride' thing than he was." Yoshio was surprised to say the least and couldn't help but smile.

Shido's words still brought a smile to his face"well then, that's settled. I should be walking to the altar lest that Kyouya decides that I am being inconsiderate to his sister showing up late at the wedding and comes hunting for me" shido had said before going to the altar.

He knew that Kyouya would do anything for Fuyumi. He was not able to deny her anything and always gave in to her silliest of her requests.

His eyes scanned Kyouya and he looked like hell now without adequate sleep or rest. He knew for a fact that Kyouya came straight from his bed to the hospital, as soon as he got the call not even bothering to make himself presentable. He was working very hard for his age and managing to do everything exceptionally well. This week must have taken its toll on Kyouya for he knew for a fact that gathering funds enough to buy a big company in the last moments was no mean or even feasible task. No one would have been able to do it other than Kyouya. Somehow, this thought brought a swell of pride in his heart.

He knew that he wasn't a very good father to Kyouya, always taunting him with his companies and never acknowledging his achievements. It was because Kyouya reminded him of himself when he was young. He too had lost his parents and had given into depression and self-pity until the time he realised that his relatives were taking advantage of his distress and were manipulating his emotions in order to uproot his family business. By the time, he had come to terms with the past, decided to take action and fulfil his father's final wishes, his family business had almost gone down the drain. At the young age of 14, he took control of the family business. He did everything in his power to bring it back to its previous glory. It was during that tough time, he had learnt that showing or succumbing to emotions was a vulnerability, which one couldn't afford in the business arena. Thus, he refrained from showing emotions even towards his children, but that doesn't mean that he didn't care for them. He wanted them to have a very bright, happy and prosperous future yet he didn't want them to be the rich spoiled brats. He wanted them to hold their own in this world, that's why he was tough with all of them.

Now, he was glad that Kyouya has fared exceptionally well in spite of his hard- handed upbringing. He knew over the years Kyouya has matured into a fine young man and has indeed become an Ootori, in every definition of the word. Not to mention Kyouya has also accomplished something that he couldn't. He has gained a bunch of friends who were very loyal and caring towards him ('and if all goes well, he will have a very good wife in that Haruhi Akiyama' he thought).

At the precise moment, they heard Fuyumi's shrill high-pitched scream followed by the wail of a baby. Both jumped from their seats. After some gruelling twenty minutes of anxious anticipation, all three of them were led into Fuyumi's room. The baby was a boy and looked a lot like Fuyumi (no surprises there the Ootori genes were quite strong). Fuyumi was glowing in spite of her fatigue and tiredness. Kyouya and his father were standing a little behind so that the couple could have some moments with their baby. Kyouya cast a sideways look at his father, and just as he expected his father was holding a stern and impassive look not even bothering to look or talk to him.

He couldn't help but feel that no matter what he did, his father will not be impressed. He would never get the acceptance that he desperately sought from his father. At least, he had some great friends and a wonderful sister; that's all he needed. Then he saw his sister beckoning him. He went closer and was aware that his father was right behind him. She held Kyouya's hands in her own. She somehow always knew that the only ones who'll be near her during her delivery would be her husband, her father and Kyouya. Kyouya and her father were alike in many ways. She knew that even though they never voiced it out openly, they loved her very much and cared for her very deeply. Kyouya was the one who was hit the hardest when she got married though he pretended otherwise.

"We have decided to name him Kyouichi," she said to her father.

She took Kyouya's hand and said, "Kyouichi look. Your favourite uncle is here to meet you"

"Nee-san! He's just born. So how am I his favourite uncle" he asked not even the least understanding his sister's antics

"Oh you wait and see Kyouya. You'll be a wonderful uncle for Kyouichi. I think you'll be amazing" completely ignoring what he said.

Kyouya was filled with warmth and pride that is until

"You are not the only_ woman_ who thinks Kyouya is amazing, Fuyumi" came his father's amused voice behind him much to his chagrin.

His sister's delighted squeal just signalled a long day ahead.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you, for all your reviews. I have tried my best to make sure that there are no grammar and punctuation mistakes. <em>I<em> hope you like this chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is the story of a certain feared and most respected corporate lawyer Haruhi Ootori and her husband the shrewdest businessman of all times Kyouya Ootori.**

**A few days later, Kyouya's room:**

Kyouya heard a knock on his bedroom door. He shouted a loud 'come in' as he slowly started descending the stairs to the bottom level of his room. He saw Tachibana cross the threshold of his room with a white envelope. 'So they have found some information about her after all' He thought.

Tachibana handed him the envelope and said "your suspicions were correct, Kyouya-sama"

He took the envelope and sat on the couch. He tore it open only to see the pictures of Éclair Tonnerre with a maid. He immediately recognised the maid from all the pictures of Tamaki's childhood that he had seen.

"Good work Tachibana." He said, "Now our biggest problem is going to France and escorting her back to Japan without detection. I cannot go it would only cause suspicion. I think I'll send Aijima. Father might suspect something but we cannot help it, we have got no other choice."

Tachibana protested immediately. He was upset over the fact that Kyouya had assigned Horita as some kind of a personal bodyguard for his friend and sending Aijima to France would mean that the security would be thinned even more. "Kyouya Sama. I don't think that's a good idea. You have already assigned Horita to protect Fujioka-san during the times she is not at Ouran. Now you are….."

Kyouya interrupted. "It is okay Tachibana; I trust you to protect me well. I have no doubts in your abilities whatsoever"

Tachibana was still not okay with the idea. He was about to protest when Kyouya said, "Everything will be fine. Now, I heard that Yuuichi nii-san is attending a medical conference in France in a few days. I want you to make sure to replace one of his bodyguards with Aijima. Do whatever you have to make sure that Aijima accompanies nii-san to France." Kyouya said curtly.

Tachibana instantly knew from Kyouya's tone that there was no room for argument anymore. He gave in and asked, "For how long do you want Aijima to be Yuuichi Sama's personal guard"

"A few days before his trip to France and until two weeks after the trip. That should put any suspicions to rest" he said "by the way, what about the other thing that I wanted you to investigate."

"Kyouya sama, we are not able to precede much from the starting point. We are searching for any hints as to where Ryoji Akiyama might have gone to, from the area that he was last seen at after his wife's death. Since it has been some 15 odd years, the locales there don't remember seeing him at all. Even those who remember him do not know where he has gone to."

"Hurry up with the investigations. It is essential that I find out his whereabouts before I buy the Akiyama zaibatsu. I don't want anyone posing problems after I had bought it. It would be easier to give some kind of compensation to him and his child before I buy the zaibatsu so that they don't interfere when I am buying it or in the future."

"Yes Kyouya sama. We would try to strengthen the investigation from now on." Tachibana said before he turned and walked towards the door. When he reached the door he said, "Horita told me that Fujioka-san offered him some snacks while he was on duty ." With that, he walked out of the room.

Kyouya smirked. 'So she found out about Horita! She caught on to it much earlier than I expected her to.' He thought. He had assigned Horita to guard her ever since the day he saw his father at the Fujioka residence. Even though, his father had seemed extremely normal on that day, he couldn't help but feel that his father had some kind of a hidden motive. He didn't want to take any risk when it involved Haruhi, so he had assigned Horita to be her guard much to Tachibana's annoyance. That was also the reason, he had started picking her up in the morning and dropping her back after school every day.

He still couldn't believe the fact that Haruhi had become someone so important in his life in a very short period. He had entrusted Haruhi with all his plans and goals and depended on her to accomplish them. He was able to do all that he wanted to right now only because of her constant support. His father had always told him that when it came to business complete trust and dependence on another person would make him vulnerable. However, it gave him strength and contentment knowing that she would be always there no matter what.

'Always... Isn't that too optimistic? She will eventually become a full-fledged lawyer, move on with her own life, and have to cater to her own family! She cannot constantly be there for you.' He thought bitterly. The thought seemed to kindle some hidden emotion that lurked in the depths of his heart. He had started to rely on her so much that he always wanted her to be beside him. He couldn't imagine a future where Haruhi would be living with her family and he'd be an outsider to her.

'Haruhi is going to be in my life, now and forever whether she likes it or not. Even better, I'll make her like it. Even after she becomes a lawyer, she'll be bound to me and me alone.' He thought.

"So her name is Haruhi. Now that I know her name when am I going to meet her" Kyouya heard the familiar and distinct voice of his sister. He groaned realising that he had voiced his thoughts aloud. 'Great! Now the gods have made it official, I can never have peace in this birth' he thought

He threw a dirty look at his sister who was standing near the door and said, "It is not what you think, nee-san"

"What is not what I think" Fuyumi prodded Kyouya.

"Shouldn't you be in your house with your baby? You had delivered a child only a few days back. Any normal woman would take some rest and fuss over her baby." He said. His main intention was to try and make Fuyumi guilty, so that she would completely forget their current topic of discussion.

Fuyumi shuddered at the similarity between their father and Kyouya. Their father had practically said the same thing to her when she had arrived at their mansion.

"Well in any case I am not a normal woman, I am an Ootori. Besides, Shido said it would be better for me to spend a month here with my family than to stay alone at home when he goes for work. I am taking good care of Kyouichi and he is currently taking a nap." She said with a pout

She went and sat next to her brother "so when can I meet her?" She squealed.

"For Haruhi's sake, I hope you never meet her." He said in a monotone.

She huffed at his reply but carried on "come on, I just wanted to meet the girl who had captured my little brother's interest. You didn't so much as mention her name in the hospital. The more you keep quiet about her, the more interested I get" she knew that her last sentence would get Kyouya to open his mouth.

"Look here nee-san. She's an honour student at Ouran and she's in the host club. That's all there is to it"

"Oh... I know all that. Tamaki Kun told me about her. What I want to know is if you are dating her or not"

"Nee-San" Kyouya sighed deeply "she is just my friend, not my girlfriend"

"No she is not your girlfriend, not yet! Oh, I can't believe that my little brother has grown up. He has finally fallen for a girl" she squealed. Fuyumi knew for sure that Kyouya's feelings for the girl ran deep. The moment she heard him unconsciously voicing his innermost thoughts, she realised that Haruhi would become that special someone in Kyouya's life.

"What part of 'she is a friend' don't you understand?" he groaned

"The 'friend' part, since when did you consider any girl as your friend? You avoid them at all costs" she countered.

"I am a host, nee-san. I don't avoid girls; I just don't flirt with them as Tamaki does. That's all!" he said curtly hoping to end this conversation. However, knowing his sister, he was sure she wouldn't let him rest until she squeezed out all the information from him.

"Oh really, Then what's with the 'Haruhi is going to be in my life, now and forever whether she likes it or not' line" she asked determined to make him confess.

Luckily, for Kyouya, his cell rang and for the first time in his life, he was eager to attend Tamaki's call. Fuyumi left his room knowing that Kyouya would not budge for a while. 'Oh my little brother, I will find another opportune moment to dig further into the matter, after all I am staying here for a month. Knowing more about this Haruhi girl is going to be my mission for now' she thought as she left his room.

* * *

><p><strong>Yoshio Ootori's study:<strong>

Yoshio was going through the some important paperwork when his phone started ringing. A smile tugged his lips when he saw the caller ID and he immediately answered the call.

"Hey there, big man Yoshi! How is everything on your side?" The voice form the other end said.

"I am all alone now. You can talk." Yoshio said nonchalantly, knowing that Ranka's main concern was privacy.

"Can't you even ask 'how are you' for the sake of courtesy, us being friends and all. I feel like I am talking to an answering machine not a person. At least Kyouya is chatty whenever he calls me." Ranka complained.

"Now I wonder what your mother will say if she finds out that you consider an Ootori a Friend. By the way, becoming friends with the girl's father is the easy and reliable way to get all the information you need about her." Yoshio said purposefully brushing aside his friend's complaint.

"Yeah… Kyouya's motive is not that simple anymore. He is dead set upon finding what happened on the day you visited me and about the contents of the CD. I feel like I am constantly on his Radar or something, I have to be on guard whenever I talk to him. Ever since Haruhi became his secretary he has also put her on my trail, can you believe that?" Ranka sighed

"Hey wait? Did you just say secretary? Has he made Haruhi his secretary?"

"Yeah... That's right. Moreover, I had called you to talk about that as well. I took a sneak peak at Haruhi's laptop that Kyouya had given her, when she had gone shopping and I happened to find a list of companies that Kyouya is planning to acquire."

"Are you kidding me? He just bought my medical equipment company. That was a major dealing. He wouldn't have enough funds to buy any more company at least until he graduates from high school." Yoshio said.

"You are wrong about that pal, why do you think he needs a secretary now if he has to wait till the end of high school to start his own business. Apparently, he has enough money to buy some more companies. Two days before he seemed to have bought a blooming small pharmaceutical company that comprises of 23 outlets across Tokyo"

"This isn't one of your jokes right? There is no way…" Yoshio stated when he was cut off by Ranka.

"Hey do you think I will be joking on such serious issues. I myself saw Haruhi pouring over contracts and rechecking them. But the main reason I had called you was that I also saw the Akiyama zaibatsu in the list" Ranka said

"This time you have got to be kidding. There is no way it is possible. One thing the money involved to buy it would be enormous; Kyouya may still have some funds to buy some small companies, but not an entire zaibatsu. Secondly, the people on the board of directors are very strong willed, loyal and cannot be easily swayed. That's how the zaibatsu has been holding out for so long without an heir." Yoshio said.

"Do you think I wouldn't know that about my own family business? He has chosen seven different financial backers. Apparently, he is going to use their financial aid in this venture. Suoh is one of the backers and he has already given his consent to this project. He has also given his consent for Kyouya to skip classes as well, from the looks of it. I have seen Kyouya's schedule, he has been meeting those backers that he had chosen during the school hours. He just goes to school only for the host club activities"

"I can't believe it. That Suoh bastard didn't let out a word about it and I happened to meet him just yesterday. Maybe Kyouya had asked him not to." Yoshio sighed. His son was going at a speed that he was finding it difficult to catch up with his plans let alone his actions. 'Probably that's why he made Haruhi his secretary, with her help he will be able to do all the things he wanted at a faster pace." He thought. "But that doesn't guarantee anything. Those backers would have bought the zaibatsu for themselves a long time ago if they could. The major shareholder is your mother. So even if he manages to buy some shares it will not do him much good." He said.

"Haruhi had a list of members on the board of the Akiyama industry as well. He had chosen nine members out of the 14. He apparently, planned to convince them into selling their shares. Together their shares would exceed what my mother has, but those nine are the most loyal to our zaibatsu. Kyouya has set himself a difficult task ahead. I am not sure where he is going with it." Ranka said. There were a few minutes of silence when both of them were contemplating whether this was a good thing.

"Alright, I will tell him to stop this. If he has planned everything in such detail, then that can only mean he will not rest until he buys the zaibatsu. "Yoshio said mentally making a note to talk to Kyouya the same evening.

"Don't be an idiot, Yoshi. The kid's amazing. He has already earned my respect a long time back. If he can pull this off; I would be bragging about him in your stead, as I know you wouldn't do it even if it kills you." Ranka said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Look, in case you have forgotten Haruhi is the original heir. Even if you are in hiding now, it doesn't mean you'll be like this forever. When the truth comes out, wouldn't Haruhi demand what rightfully belongs to her?" Yoshio said being the more rational of the two.

"Haruhi has no interest in business whatsoever. She wants to become a lawyer; she's not going to give up her dreams to become the heir of some filthy rich family. Besides, if they both end up married, the zaibatsu would eventually belong to Kyouya. Even if they don't get married, I wouldn't regret that Kyouya has bought the company"

"Are you certain about this? Do you think it is okay to let him carry on with this?" Yoshio said, still quite uncomfortable about the entire thing. Kotoko and Ryoji were among the most important people in his life. He didn't want to jeopardise that.

"It is fine. I called only to let you know of the situation,not to make you stop him. Toko and I had never seen Kyouya when he was born, but I am sure she would be glad that he had turned into such a fine young man. Speaking of man, I just remembered something. There has been a creepy bald guy, who is roaming around the area recently. It is not obvious, but I think he's watching our apartment. I am getting suspicious. I also saw him following Haruhi to the super market yesterday. Can you send some of your private police to scare him off?" Ranka asked. He didn't like asking for favours, but when he saw that the guy was discreetly following his daughter, he knew he had to do something to put an end to it.

Yoshio knew that Ryoji rarely asked for favours, so it could only mean that the situation was serious. He took out the schedule of the security personnel to find out who was free of duty, at that moment. Since Kyouya was at home, he concluded that all of his guards would be free. When he saw the chart, something struck him. 'Wait…Horita is on duty, but Kyouya's at home. What is Horita doing exactly?' he thought. He thoroughly went through the entire schedule. To his surprise, he had found some other thing as well.

"Hello…."

"Hello? Big man Yoshi, you there?"

This pulled Yoshio out of his musings and he asked, "How old is this guy?"

"I don't know, somewhere around late thirties and early forties" Ranka replied.

Yoshio could hear the opening of a door on the other side and a mild 'hey dad'.

"Well, you don't have to worry. I think that is one of Kyouya's personal bodyguards-Horita. It seems Kyouya has assigned him to guard Haruhi. I just checked the schedule of Ootori security personal and I found some major discrepancies. Apparently, his personal bodyguards have chosen to obey his commands rather than my direct orders." Yoshio sighed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the fact that he was getting old was resounding. To think he had missed such things, while it happened right under his nose was bad enough, the fact that his own son was outwitting him was even worse. He couldn't help but smile. 'Kyouya is indeed growing up' he thought.

"But why, I don't understand" Ranka said.

"Apparently, he is concerned about Haruhi's safety. And this concern is triggered by my visit to your place" he said

Ranka's boisterous laugh echoed though the phone. He could hear a feminine voice "dad, who is on the phone. I have never seen you laugh when you are chatting with someone on the phone"

"Haruhi, It is just a friend of mine from the okama bar" he could hear Ranka's voice

"I know it is not someone from the okama bar and don't even tell me it is one of your clients. If it were, you would be in your fan-girl mode now, not your sober self. The fact that you are lying about this clearly means that the person on the line is someone important" Yoshio could clearly hear Haruhi's voice with an accusatory tone on the other side.

"You know our parenting issues arise from the fact that our kids are too smart for their own good. I'll call you later then. Bye" Ranka said. Yoshio put down his phone before taking a deep breath. He needed some time to digest all the information that he had heard from Yoji. He also needed to address another issue at hand.

He called the head of the Ootori police to his study and then dialled Yuzuru's number. Yuzuru Suoh picked up the phone after a couple of rings "Hello…Yoshio… what's the occasion"

"There are some things that I want to clarify and also some things to discuss with you, in private. When are you free?" Yoshio demanded.

Yuzuru knew that the issue must be something serious if Yoshio wanted to discuss it in person.

"Why don't you come to the school tomorrow evening? The host club is throwing a graduation party to the entire high school division to the graduation of their seniors. We could do with a mild entertainment." Yuzuru suggested.

"Alright then I'll come around 5'o clock in the evening." Yoshio said crisply before disconnecting the call.

By the time, he had disconnected the call there was a knock on the door.

"Come in" he said.

The head of the Ootori private police force came and stood before him.

"There's been a change in the personal guards for Yuuichi. Why is that?"

"His usual personal guard's wife was extremely sick, so he had taken leave to take care of her. So his usual bodyguard was replaced. Sir" he said.

"Why did you replace him with one of Kyouya's personal guards?" Yoshio questioned. He already knew the answer to that, but he wanted to confirm this.

"Well Because Yuuichi Sama is going to France in a few days; Tachibana himself said that it would be better to put someone with some experience in being a personal guard instead of the ones trained for normal security. He assured that both he and Horita would be able to handle Kyouya Sama's security on their own. Even Kyouya Sama didn't want a third bodyguard in the absence of Aijima. If you want to make any changes I'll do it, Sir!" He said.

Yoshio knew that Tachibana would bite his own tongue than to suggest such a thing out of his own will. 'Just as I suspected, Kyouya is behind this' he thought.

"No need for that. You may go." He said. He knew that Yoji was also not faring well just like him. His daughter had seen right through him and called on his bluff. 'He is right; our children are too smart for their own good. Haruhi and Kyouya would make a terrific couple' he thought. Now that he learned a lot about his son's plans, he couldn't wait to taunt Kyouya. 'Dinner is going to be fun tonight' he thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Fujioka Residence:<strong>

Ranka was quite anxious during the dinnertime. Haruhi didn't ask him anything about the phone conversation. She acted as if she hadn't caught him lying and like everything was normal. He slowly started to relax.

This was one of the basic differences between Kyouya and Haruhi's perceptiveness. When Kyouya sensed something was wrong, he jumped right into it and tried to find out by analyzing situations and circumstances. Whereas, Haruhi did the same by analyzing people: their emotions and reaction. Just as their perceptiveness, they way they utilised it also differed. While Kyouya used his ability to pressurise and manipulate people into doing what he wants, Haruhi used hers to understand people and their inner self. Therefore, he relaxed knowing that unlike Kyouya, Haruhi wouldn't coerce him into telling the truth. However, he never expected her to ask him something so random.

"Dad, why is that I never got to meet my grandparents, not even once" she asked cocking her head to a side, deep in her thoughts.

Ranka nearly choked. He immediately gulped the food in his mouth before answering "Haruhi dear, I told you the reason before. Our parents never accepted our marriage, so they kind of disowned us." He said sweetly.

"But dad, it was more than a decade ago. Don't you think their anger might have simmered down by now? Why haven't you tried contacting them?" She asked chewing on her food.

Ranka knew that when Haruhi questioned something, it was only an attempt to have a better understanding of the situation. If she had started questioning about her grandparents, then something else must have triggered it. He wanted to know what it was.

"What brought this, Haruhi?" He inquired.

"Well, a few days ago I heard a story of some rich couple who had given up their lifestyles and wealth for love. You see the couple have the same first names as you and mom. I know it is a weird coincidence, so I let it slide" Haruhi said. She noticed her father's pale face and rigid expression.

"Haruhi, it is a weird coincidence alright." Ranka laughed nervously "They are a bunch of rich people. Surely, you didn't think that your mom and me were that couple. I heard that teenagers have wild imaginations, but I never thought you'd…"

She interrupted her father "I never said that I thought you were the rich couple, dad." Something about her father's attitude didn't sit well with her. She could notice the nervousness that her father was desperately trying to conceal. 'He has been acting strange ever since Kyouya sempai's father visited him. He has been unusually cheerful yet at the same time extremely edgy' she thought. Ranka stopped eating altogether while Haruhi was munching away her food.

"In fact, I was quite sure that you and mom weren't that couple. What I wasn't sure about was why I was sure of it. You see I believed that it was an unnatural coincidence based on our family background. I wasn't sure about our family background. I have never seen my grandparents. I don't know about any other relatives. I haven't even seen photos of my grandparents. Surely, mom and you must have had some pictures of your parents and family with you" she said.

Ranka didn't like the way she used the past tense in her explanation. Due to anxiety, he had jumped to the conclusion and blurted stupid things. He knew that Haruhi could notice his actions and read more out of it. It unnerved him. Right now he preferred being under the constant surveillance of Kyouya to the scrutiny of his daughter. He drank some water before replying.

"We did have photos, Haruhi. I think we lost them when we moved to this house. I must have misplaced them when we moved." Ranka lied smoothly

"Understandable" she said picking up the empty "did you misplace the box that contained mom's memorabilia as well, it has been missing for some time now." She said smoothly. She noticed that the box was not where it should have been when she searched through his room for the CD.

Ranka blanched. He hid that box, ever since Kyouya's sneaky attempt to take that CD away, as it contained some important things that might give away his identity. He didn't put it past Kyouya to take Haruhi's help to rummage through his stuff. In fact, Kyouya had just done that. However, he didn't expect Haruhi to take note of the missing box.

He smiled his goofy smile "I think I must have misplaced it as well. Your dad is getting old and forgetful"

"You have barely eaten anything dad, you must eat before your food gets cold" Haruhi said form the kitchen signalling the end of conversation. She clearly heard her father sigh before he started eating again.

She was deep in thought while she was washing dishes. She knew for a fact that her father had gone through many files in her laptop. She never put it past her father to do so. She knew he would go through it to find if she had a picture of a secret crush or something. He had always fantasised about her having a secret crush. What she didn't expect was for him to go through all the documents concerning Kyouya's business and even his schedule that she had.

She found out from the position of the laptop that her father had used it. When she clicked the 'recent places' link she found out that her father had particularly searched everything that was under the folder titled work. The phone call from earlier had also disturbed her. She knew how important this was to Kyouya. It was Kyouya's dream and she was pleased that Kyouya trusted her enough to rely on her.

From what she could garner, Kyouya rarely trusted anyone but himself. So, to trust someone like her with all his plans and goals even to the extent of making him prone to vulnerability meant that he believed her with his heart and soul. That fact alone made her feel proud. She also knew that Kyouya cared about her a lot so much so that, he had assigned one of his own bodyguards to her just to ensure her safety. He was the most considerate out of all the hosts, even though he pretended to be indifferent. That's why she didn't want his dreams to be endangered. She respected him and his ambitions.

'I think I should warn Kyouya before hand and I should 'password protect' all my files as well' she thought as her father brought his plates into the kitchen for washing.

* * *

><p><strong>Dining hall at the Ootori mansion:<strong>

The dinner at the Ootori residence was unusual. It was unusually late and unusually crowded. Since Fuyumi had decided to stay here, her husband had come there to meet his wife. Kyouya's father and brothers were also present. Kyouya cautiously walked into the dining hall and took his place. Something about his father's look was giving him the creeps and he wanted to finish his dinner as quickly as possible and seek the refuge that his room offered. His sister didn't seem in the mood to pursue their earlier conversation. He thanked Kami for that. She seemed exhausted and he could see her husband caressing her hand.

He took the first bite of his food when his father started the conversation ('here goes, he's setting some kind of trap' he thought).

"There has been some rumour that the Kenkou pharmaceuticals had changed hands. What do you think Yuuichi?" He asked.

Kyouya mentally panicked. He didn't know how his father found out about him buying the pharmaceuticals. 'I am positive that he had found out otherwise he wouldn't even bother bringing it up during dinnertime.' He thought but he chose to remain calm and impassive.

"It's quite possible, father. After all, it was a blooming company with 23 outlets all over Tokyo. We had even discussed about buying it if it ever reached the target of 40 outlets." Yuuichi said.

"Nii-san is right. It is quite possible. Besides, whoever had bought it had planned it well. It is the right time to acquire it. It would give them a perfect foundation upon which they can improvise." Akito added.

There was strangling silence in the dining room. Akito was surprised that Kyouya had not volunteered to express his views. He always thought that Kyouya's ideas were practical and exceptional, though he was usually put off by Kyouya's competitive nature.

Yoshio sensed Kyouya's silence as well. 'So you refuse to play, han? Too bad, I am all up for it and you are going to set the pace, Kyouya' he thought.

"Kyouya, you are unusually silent today. What's your opinion about this?" He asked.

When Kyouya had returned the company to his father, he had decided that he'll no longer play by his father's rule. He knew his father was prodding him, but he chose to neither confirm nor deny his father's suspicions. 'If it is a game he wants, he is going to get it. However it will be my rules this time' he thought.

"I don't know, father!" he said knowing that those words would annoy his father more than anything.

Everyone at the table stared at Kyouya as if he had grown an extra head. Even Shido knew that Kyouya contested with his brothers to become the heir of the zaibatsu. He had seen the boy making use of every small loophole to outshine his brothers in his father's eyes. This nonchalance was not something he expected. From the reaction of Akito and Yuuichi, he could tell that they were just as surprised as he was. Fuyumi looked at her brother as if she was seeing him for the first time. 'Kyouya is so confident almost as if he had already become the heir already. I knew that there was some change in him, but never realised the extent of it' she thought

Yoshio could clearly sense his son's blatant refusal to play by his rules 'well at least he did set the pace. If he's going to be blatant about things, so am I' he thought

"Since when did 'I don't know' become your opinion Kyouya" he asked.

"Since the time, you started showing a major amount of interest in such a small company, father" Kyouya replied and causally chewed on his food.

The Ootoris were sharp enough to notice a battle when they saw one. The conversation between Kyouya their father was definitely a battle where both of them were not willing to lose. By now, everyone in the hall was hooked on to the conversation.

Yoshio smirked "yes one might say that Kenkou pharmaceutical is quite a small company when compared to … Let's say the Ootori medical equipment company or the Akiyama zaibatsu"

Kyouya visibly blanched. He could see his father practically grinning and pulled himself together 'how did he know about it? I am sure chairman Yuzuru never revealed anything to him. I have to find his sources and put an end to it' he thought.

"Well father, this time I have an opinion" he said sarcastically. "I think the value of a company does not depend on its size, but the meaning it holds for the owner." He said. Everyone was surprised at the clipped tone Kyouya had used while talking to their father.

"That's no way to talk to father, Kyouya... Apologise….." Akito began but stopped abruptly when Yoshio held up his hand.

"I agree, Kyouya. The value lies in its significance especially if it is the first stepping-stone for someone's business." Yoshio said his smirk intact.

Kyouya was about to reply when his phone rang. Everyone usually left the phones outside the dining hall. The maids brought the phones to them only if it was a call about some emergency or an urgent issue. However, Kyouya had started carrying his cell phone to the dining hall, as at the current stages of his business all the calls were important to him. He could clearly sense the disapproval of his brothers; since their father didn't comment on it, they remained mum. He took out his cell phone and seeing that the call was from Haruhi, he excused himself and walked out of the dining room to talk.

"I can't believe he brought his phone to the dining room." Yuuichi said.

"He just walked out halfway during dinner just to attend a call. He has been acting strangely for some time now. He has been behaving like a rebellious teenager all of a sudden." Akito declared.

"I think he's just growing up and exploring his individuality" Fuyumi retorted defending her youngest brother

"When one finds some space to spread their wings, they would always want to flap it." Yoshio commented.

Yuuichi was just surprised at the conversation and their father's words. He just thought that Kyouya was going through a rebellious phase. However, Akito did not stop there; he felt that their father was trying to get Kyouya to confess something with all his prodding. He made a mental note to check up on all the companies that were brought up by their father in the conversation. 'That might give me some hints about what this is all about. Apparently, Kyouya and father know something that we don't. I have to find out what it is at all costs' he thought.

It was some time before Kyouya returned back to the dining hall. He sat quietly in his place and continued eating.

His father began immediately "who was on the phone Kyouya?" He asked. He had some idea as to who it might have been, but still he wanted to confirm it.

"My secretary" he said coolly.

"What..." Yuuichi said disbelievingly.

"Since when did you have a secretary? Even I don't have one!" Akito declared.

"I am more interested to know who it is" Yoshio said smirking.

"I am sure you know who she is, after all you took her father's aid to find out what my current plans are" Kyouya replied his tone tinted with accusation. He was glad to see his father's smirk was wiped off his face.

Yoshio was shocked, he never expected Kyouya to find out how he got the information. He was sure, from Kyouya's earlier reactions that he didn't have a clue. 'The phone call, that's it! Haruhi must have figured it out and decided to inform Kyouya. Great, now Kyouya is going to be on guard. Apparently when Kyouya and Haruhi team up, they are completely unstoppable' he thought. He couldn't help but laugh at his thoughts. To say that everyone was astonished would be an understatement. To catch the stern Ootori patriarch laughing was nothing short of a miracle.

"She called you just now to warn you, didn't she? I must say you have an exceptional secretary. No wonder, you assigned your own bodyguard to protect her 24/7" he said after his laughter died down.

By now, everyone in the dining hall had given up trying to figure out what the entire conversation was all about. 'So he has a secretary and he has assigned one of his bodyguards to protect her. What I don't understand is why he needs a secretary in the first place?" Akito thought

"Haruhi is not just an exceptional secretary; she is also a valuable friend and an important person in my life. You are still welcome to try and pry into my personal life but I would appreciate it if you don't involve her or her father in any way." he said wiping his mouth with a tissue.

Fuyumi was beaming. Kyouya had just confessed what she was trying to get him to confess earlier. She knew that Kyouya wouldn't make anyone his secretary. 'He must trust and respect the girl a lot. I have to meet her' she thought.

'It was about time you admitted that she is important to you. But you still have a long way to go Kyouya' Yoshio thought. "I never thought you'd consider a commoner a valuable friend. But to admit to the fact that she is an important person in your life, is something I never expected you to do" he said.

"I never expected you to grace their commoner house with your presence either. So I guess that makes us even." Kyouya said sarcastically "besides, it's not just me. Like I told you before, everyone in the host club considers her as an important person in their life. They would not tolerate even if she is least bit perturbed"

As he saw Kyouya walking away from the dining room leaving behind a stunned audience, Yoshio commented, "he is not just flapping his wings, he is flying"

* * *

><p><strong>The next day, Chairman Yuzuru Suoh's office:<strong>

Yuzuru was in his office. He could see some of the early arrivals of the party. He always loved the festive moods. The host club had chosen the last day of the term before the exams for the celebration. 'A befitting ending for an exhilarating academic year' he thought. 'Tamaki has matured a lot over the past year and has made some excellent friends. I wish mother could accept him just the way he is'

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. He turned around to see Yoshio Ootori entering his office. Yoshio walked in and sat on the couch.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, my friend?" Yuzuru asked.

"I thought I would just drop by and clarify certain things. You can start by telling me as to why you are allowing Kyouya to skip classes." Yoshio said curtly. Yuzuru didn't like his tone one bit even though he was expecting this.

"I have no reason to make him attend the classes." He said as he walked toward his desk to pull open a drawer. He picked a folder form it and handed it over to Yoshio.

"What do you mean?" Yoshio asked. He was pleasantly surprised to see the document that was handed to him. It was Kyouya's mark sheet.

"He had already taken his second year exams and has achieved quite high grades as you can see in his mark sheet. This time he is going to sit the exams for the final year students and I have no doubt he'll top it as well." Yuzuru said.

"That's good. He's graduating a year ahead. I never expected him to do that. Well, I'll ask him to take the entrance exam to the university. His brothers aren't going to be pleased when they hear this." Yoshio said brimming with pride.

"Well I don't think they will hear this. Even though he is taking the exams a year ahead, he'll be graduating along with Tamaki."

"What?" Yoshio's voice was marred with an accusatory tone. his usually impassive face had taken an expression of unbridled fury. One look at Yoshio's face, Yuzuru realised that he had worded the situation in a wrong way.

"Oh don't give me that look, Yoshio. It was Kyouya's wish. He wants to graduate along with Tamaki. However, he'll be exempted from attending school the next year. I must say he's quite a lot of things on his plate right now, so preparing for the entrance exams of universities is out of the question. He needs time, so I decided to respect his wishes." Yuzuru explained, visibly relaxing as Yoshio calmed down.

"So might I ask what those things are?" Yoshio asked.

Yuzuru flinched. In his attempt to calm Yoshio, he had revealed a bit too much information. 'How am I going to get out of this one' he thought. However, before he could open his mouth Yoshio said, "Look, I know that Kyouya intends to buy the Akiyama zaibatsu and that you agreed to be one of his financial backers. That's one of the reasons behind my visit. "

"What? How did you know? Kyouya was keeping this under wraps and I don't think anyone else apart from me and Haruhi knows about this!" Yuzuru said.

"Haruhi's father informed me about this. He had nicked the information from Haruhi's personal laptop." Yoshio said in a matter of fact tone.

"I can't believe you conspired with Haruhi's father so that you can track down your own son's movements. What method did you use to get him on your side- bribing, threatening or blackmailing?" Yuzuru asked clearly disapproving of Yoshio's way.

"I did no such thing. He volunteered with the information out of his own will!" Yoshio said obviously affronted with his friend's blatant accusation.

"Yeah right! Tell that to someone who'll buy it. I don't see why he would do such a thing when obviously what Kyouya's up to is none of his concerns." Yuzuru retorted, disbelief apparent in his voice.

"Oh it's his concern alright. After all, he's the rightful heir to the Akiyama zaibatsu." Yoshio said deliberately and scrutinising Yuzuru's face.

"Come on… I know their first names are same, but that's impossible. I mean, I even checked his background and I have seen his photos as well." Yuzuru said desperately trying to process the information.

"Have you seen him without his make up on? I have! He is Ryoji Akiyama all right. He had completely tampered and falsified his own records and identity before going incognito. He even sold his family heirloom to pay a hacker to remove all the pictures of him and his wife from all the profiles on the internet. His only proof of his identity is his face, which he covers well with the makeup"

"My god! Therefore, Haruhi Fujioka is Haruhi Akiyama. Does she know about this? Oh no…. I promised Kyouya I'd help him in any way to get his hands on the Akiyama zaibatsu…"

"No, Haruhi doesn't know anything about this and don't worry, he isn't even a least bit bothered about his own property. In fact, he is rooting for Kyouya. He hasn't changed a bit; he's still the same Yoji who doesn't care about family business, lineage, wealth or any other thing for that matter. I would say it is Haruhi who is taking care of him than the other way around"

"That's Yoji for you! He reminds me a lot of Tamaki you know what I mean! Both are laid back and completely oblivious to the methods of this cruel world, yet they both are the most caring and kind people I know. The only difference I can see is while Tamaki loves his mother, Yoji loves to annoy his mother." Yuzuru said laughing. Even Yoshio smiled at the apt description. However, he turned sober again "Speaking of Tamaki's mother, have you got any clue as to where she is?"

"No, I have tried a lot to pinpoint her location. However, I don't even have a clue as to where she is. With my mother's vigilant eyes, I can't even make any bold moves." Yuzuru sighed. He missed his wife just as much as Tamaki missed his mother. He constantly worried about her well-being and safety.

"Apparently, Kyouya seems to have done that job for you. I think he knows where she is"

"What? How? When all my investigations have resulted in nothing, how could he have gotten wind of her?"

"Even I am not sure how he did that! I think he picked out some clue that we have overlooked and started his search for her in the right places. You see, he had assigned one of his bodyguards to Yuuichi right before Yuuichi's trip to France. There's no other reason for his actions other than helping Tamaki to meet his mother." Yoshio blurted out his assumptions. A strange silence hung between the two businessmen.

"I don't know what to say! If Kyouya succeeds in getting Anne back, then I assure you, I'll be eternally grateful to the boy. I must say befriending Kyouya was one of the wisest things Tamaki ever did" Yuzuru chuckled.

"He's going at very fast pace that, I am struggling keep up with him. It makes me feel that I have gotten old. I want you to keep an eye on him okay." Yoshio said.

* * *

><p><strong>The hall where the graduation party is held:<strong>

"You are late" Haruhi said as Kyouya approached her. She was leaning on a wall in the corner next to a door, away from all the bustle of the party. Kyouya had messaged her earlier saying that he would arrive late as his meeting was taking longer than he had expected. without Kyouya there to handle any emergencies and make sure that everything was going according to plan, she felt even more nervous. Fortunately for her, everyone took the news as Kyouya had predicted and seemed to accept it.

"Since my secretary took care of everything, I took the luxury of being late." Kyouya said as he took in her appearance. She looked rather stunning in the purple dress that reached her knees. It had a bateau neckline with cap sleeves and light ruffles at bottom. The empire waistline was accentuated with a white lace belt. In short, it was simple yet captivating like Haruhi herself. He chuckled at the thought. When enquired he just shrugged it off.

"Sempai, you know about my father. I am sorry for what he did. He's never like that. I don't understand why he did that. Gomen! You know he would never do anything to sabotage your plans. I think he assumed that he was helping you by…" Kyouya effectively cut her off by placing his finger on her lips.

Haruhi's mind went blank. All her senses were focussed on his finger on her lips. She thought that she was immune to a guy's touch after all the twins and Tamaki were manhandling her all the time. Somehow, this simple gesture felt more intimate and unnerving than anything did. She took a step back just as Kyouya withdrew his finger.

Kyouya was practically smirking. Haruhi's sudden tensing up and her flabbergasted expression boosted his male ego more than anything did. His insides were humming at the thought that such a harmless touch of his could make her react when she was practically unresponsive to the constant hugs the other hosts bestowed her with.

When Haruhi saw Kyouya's smirk, she gathered herself and her pride was hammering her feminine mind for such a dumb display of weakness. 'What's wrong with you? To think that you are more refined than those fan girls! Sheeshh... He's a host, it's in his nature to charm the girls out of their minds. You of all people should know that' she thought.

Though the truth was out of all the hosts Kyouya was the least 'touchy and feeling' with her. The occasional times that they had, any physical contact was when he touched her shoulder as a sign of reassurance. Thus, this gesture left her completely perplexed. She was unprepared for his next move though.

"Dance with me. Then I'll accept your apology." He said.

For some odd reason he yearned to dance with her. The last time he danced with her left him wanting more. He had always maintained a certain distance with her before because unlike Tamaki and twins he didn't want to succumb to her innate warmth and radiance. He wanted to consider himself immune to the lady who had the entire host club revolving around her. However, she not only hammered down all his walls but also made him succumb to her charm, surrender to her genuine intentions and made him to rely on her heavily. 'Now that I think about it, she had coaxed me into willingly giving her my heart and allowing her to do whatever she wants with it. I'd be damned if it remains that way. I am an Ootori and I would settle for nothing less than a mutual give and take. If she has coaxed my heart out, I am going to steal hers' he thought.

Haruhi didn't know how to react. Coming from Kyouya the request was in itself unusual, but her wanting to dance with him was even more so. She craved the sense of ease and comfort that she felt when she last danced with him, but at the same time, her aching feet reminded her of the realty. After her secret was revealed to the entire student body of the high school, (which went smoothly without any hustle thanks to Kyouya) many guys had asked her to dance with them. Then she had to dance with the rest of the hosts as well. She had never danced so much in her entire life and the four inch heels that she was forced to wear the by the Hitachiin twins didn't help her as well. She had taken refuge in a corner away from the entire buzz to soothe het aching feet.

Kyouya saw the uncertainty in her eyes. It angered him that she was reluctant to dance with him. As he tried to rein his anger, he noticed that she was slightly shuffling her feet as if to alleviate pain. Then it dawned on him. "You can dance with me sans your heels, I don't mind!" He said coolly.

Relief washed over Haruhi as she stepped out of her white high heels. "That's odd. I thought Kyouya Ootori never associated him with anything, which was not prim, proper and impeccable. Therefore, wouldn't it ruin his reputation if he danced with someone who was bare feet?" She asked playfully as she placed her into his proffered hand. The moment she did, he pulled her right to the dance floor.

"Well then that means you don't know me at all. Here I thought my secretary would know me better" he replied in a mock hurt tone as he placed his hand on her waist and started leading her.

"Oh really, what gave you that impression?" She asked.

"If you had known me, then you'd have realised that I choose practicality over impeccability. Dancing in high heels is impractical." He said as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

'Typical shadow king! Trust him not to admit that he was being considerate' she thought.

"Well perhaps you don't know yourself as well as you think. If you vouch for practicality then isn't dancing with a commoner in front of all the fan girls who could get jealous which might cause a strain in the host club, impractical?" She asked as he twirled her.

'Leave it to you to force me into confessing that I care, Haruhi. But I am not going down without a fight' he thought.

"Depends on what you think is impractical." They both fell into a simple and easy rhythm with him leading her with feline grace and her following him like a breeze. They were so immersed in their conversation that they didn't notice the five pairs of eyes that were trained on them. Moreover, they didn't have any means of knowing about the two pair of elderly eyes that were glued to the screen of a television in the chairman's office that was displaying a live feed of their dancing.

"How so, The Kyouya sempai I know would do anything to protect the host club and would do nothing that does not give him merits and certainly dancing with me doesn't give you any merits and you are putting the host club at stake here. So aren't you contradicting yourself?"

"Well, after this we have exams and vacation before the next term starts. Therefore, the girls would forget this small incident over time. The host club will be unharmed. Besides, dancing with you has merits, trust me. Now that you are my secretary and therefore know a great deal of inside information about my business, I cannot risk letting you be by yourself without my vigilance. It has become my first priority to keep you close to me all the time. As close as possible" he said as he pulled her closer.

Haruhi felt the same unnerving feeling from earlier. She felt that Kyouya was baring his heart to her. Even though he said it like he wanted her to be close to him for business purposes, the way he said made her feel like it was a cryptic message. She knew what the message was but didn't dare to believe it. Looking deep into his eyes, she knew that he was being honest. She pulled herself and continued with the little game that they were playing.

"Is that why jeopardized your own security to send one of your bodyguards on my trail right into the commoner's supermarket"

"Oh is that what you think. I cannot help if my bodyguards decide to shop at the commoner's supermarket" he smirked while saying it.

"Ok then are you going to tell me that your bodyguard found the wall of our building interesting enough to stare at it for hours at a stretch from his hiding place in the alleyway"

"Who knows? After all, Horita is a weird guy. He could have some wall fetish for all I know." He said in a matter of fact tone.

Haruhi laughed at his comment, blissfully unaware of her surroundings and devoid of inhibitions. This dance was the same as the previous dance that they shared and so much more. Both of them were at ease and content in each other's presence.

Tamaki was brimming with fury. He turned around to see that Hunny sempai and Mori sempai were watching the dancing couple with interest and the twins were looking at them with curiosity. 'I can't believe that they are standing there and doing nothing when Kyouya is…' he thought. He didn't know what to think. He knew that he wanted Haruhi's attention to himself and didn't like if anyone else got it. When the rest of the hosts were dancing with her, he was mildly annoyed which was nothing compared to the fury that he was feeling now while he watched her dance with Kyouya. He noticed how Haruhi completely transformed from her usual apathetic self to the Aphrodite who was now dancing with Kyouya. His fury doubled when he saw her laughing and chatting with Kyouya like it was the most normal thing in the world.

He felt that Haruhi was slowly slipping away from him. He started walking to the dance floor to ask Haruhi to dance with him, when all of a sudden he was dragged by Hunny sempai. "Come on let's have some cake" he said

"I don't want to eat any cake!" Tamaki snapped.

"You don't want to spend time with me on my last day here?" Hunny asked turning his teary eyes towards Tamaki. Tamaki couldn't say anything and followed Hunny reluctantly.

Kyouya was completely lost in the dance. He wanted to dance with the Haruhi the entire night. All the same, his sane side kicked in alerting him of Haruhi's condition. As the song ended, he twirled Haruhi once and slowly walked her to the corner where she had left her shoes. He didn't want her tire her or elevate her pain. 'After all the crap about I do nothing that does not benefit me, here is concerned about me' Haruhi thought fondly.

Haruhi was moving slightly to pick her shoes when she felt Kyouya tense up. He straightened herself to look at the direction where Kyouya's eyes were trained. She noticed that there was a figure standing in the doorway near their spot. As the figure moved forward, she gasped lightly. The person looked a bit like Kyouya himself with the black hair and defined chin. She inferred that he must be one of Kyouya's brothers. What surprised her was that he was looking at Kyouya with loathing and anger etched on his face.

Kyouya was surprised not only to see Akito there but also the anger that was exuberating from him. He stood there not knowing how he ended up in the predicament. "Akito nii-san…" he began trying to figure what made him to be at the receiving end of Akito's anger. Akito quickly cut him off "come with me"

Kyouya followed him. Haruhi opted to stay behind but her heart and mind was warring over following him and not wanting to involve herself in their family issues respectively.

Kyouya apprehensively followed Akito, when they had reached a corridor farther from the hall Akito turned on his heel and punched Kyouya squarely on the face before Kyouya could even react. He grabbed Kyouya's shirt and pulled him close enough to deliver punch after punch. Kyouya's mind recovered from the initial shock and his reflexes sprang into action. He wrestled out of Akito's grip and pushed him with all his might so that Akito fell to the ground. Kyouya stood there his head swaying with the force of the punches he received.

"KYOUYA"

Haruhi's panicked shriek reached his ears as he staggered over to the nearby wall and flopped down. Haruhi was at his side the next moment. She kept repeating his name unconsciously as she took a handkerchief from her purse and started wiping the blood that flowed from his bruised lips. He winced when Haruhi's fingers brushed across his lips and looked up to see her. Her eyes were glazed with tears and her concern for him was evident on her face.

Akito stood up and straightened himself. He was confused by the situation. The girl that he had seen earlier with Kyouya was currently kneeling by his side. However, he didn't dwell on it too much. His suppressed fury reared its head again. After the previous day's conversation between Kyouya and their father, he set about gathering any information about the companies their father mentioned, especially the Ootori medical equipment company. What he had discovered shocked him as much as it angered him. He had found out that the company had been under a strained situation, which their father had kept under the wraps and Kyouya had used the opportunity to buy it right under their noses. He always knew that Kyouya contested for the position of heir of the zaibatsu, however he never realised that Kyouya would go so far as to buy the company to achieve his dreams. He could hear footsteps and turned his head to see some five boys walking towards them. He was blinded by fury to bother about keeping their family brawl private.

"You bastard! I had always warned you not to compete with nii-san and be happy with what you have. Do you ever listen? You are even ready to break the semblance of family that we have just to fulfil your power hungry and selfish ambitions"

Haruhi turned her head towards Akito and glared at him. Her concern for Kyouya had turned into rage as she faced Akito. she had never seen Kyouya so beat up neither physically nor emotionally. She could see the hurt that was reflected in Kyouya's eyes. Before Kyouya could respond to Akito's sudden outburst Haruhi said rather harshly, "what is wrong with your family? You all are always taking out your frustrations out on him and you are accusing him of breaking up your family"

All the host club members had arrived at the scene by now and they were taken back to see a bruised Kyouya and a furious and unforgiving version of their usual kind Haruhi.

Kyouya squeezed Haruhi's arm to make her silent. He didn't want Haruhi to get involved in this. He was already worried over her safety after the previous incident where she had defended him. However, she paid no heed.

"Look girl; don't talk like you know us. I bet you don't even know anything about Kyouya over whom you are getting so worked up." Akito sneered. He heard new footsteps coming from the opposite direction, but he carried on "I'll tell you what he's like, he's a filth! He's a vicious snake lying at your feet stalling till the right moment to bite you. He's a greed-filled, power hungry maniac who stabbed his brothers' back and bought one of our companies just to ensure his future as the heir to the Ootori zaibatsu." He said as felt someone grabbing his arm and turned around to see his father but that didn't deter him. He addressed Kyouya this time "you are such a vile and despicable creature. I can't believe you have the audacity to stay under the same roof as Yuuichi nii-san after you had taken away something that rightfully….." He abruptly stopped the sentence as a felt a sudden sting on his cheek. He looked around caressing his aching cheek to see who had slapped him and was stunned to see the girl with her arm raised.

Haruhi was breathing hard. She knew that Kyouya was hurting emotionally with the words that his own brother hurled at him. She didn't know what made her slap the man, but she held no regrets as she said, "I don't see why you are whining about this. If you couldn't do what he did then you should suck it up, not crib about it. Kyouya bought the company fair and square through his hard work and skills. Are you blind not to see that or for that matter are you an Ootori?"

Kyouya pushed himself to stand up. He wanted to stop her and staggered towards her.

She yelled at the already stunned man "how can you launch at him without even knowing the entire story. I know about Kyouya more than you do. I know that Kyouya deserved the company that he had bought yet he had the heart to give back all the management rights to your father. He has enough love to make the arrangements so that his nephew Kyouichi inherits the company when he turns eighteen. I don't think…." Haruhi stopped her tirade when she a felt hand on her shoulder. He turned around to see Kyouya shaking his head.

Once he felt that Haruhi had regained her control, he turned and walked away from there. He saw his own father and the chairman standing near his brother. As he walked away, he also saw the rest of the host club members, their expressions mirroring the concern he saw on Haruhi's visage. He couldn't bring himself to stop. He needed to get away. When Haruhi moved to stop him, he just shrugged and walked away. Many people who had called him a snake before, but when he heard those words from his brother, it hurt like hell. 'It's not my fault, if I have to strive and struggle to get father's acceptance that they both had received without any hindrances. He's right…I should no longer stay there. I'll stay in some hotel from now on... I am not going back to the mansion, never again!" He thought.

Haruhi watched as Kyouya's dejected form disappeared from view. She was at a loss as to what to do next when she heard Yoshio Ootori's deep voice "something tells me he took Akito's words seriously and that he's not willing to return home. Will, you all do a favour for me? Will you convince him to return home with me? I'll be waiting here. Please"

All the hosts were stunned at the request of Yoshio Ootori. They never expected him to request them such a thing of them. In fact, they had quite expected him to share Akito's view on the subject.

After hearing Yoshio's words, Haruhi calmed her wildly beating heart and walked ahead in search of Kyouya. The rest of the hosts followed her with the exception of two. Hunny and Mori walked towards Akito instead.

"The only reason you are alive even after what you did to Kyo-chan is because you are his brother" he trained his steely eyes on an already stunned Akito. "However I guarantee that if you try to pull such a stunt on Kyo-chan again, I wouldn't be this forgiving"

Hunny was upset with the accusations and the hurtful words that Akito threw at Kyouya. he knew that Kyouya had constantly lived under the shadow of his brothers and didn't understand why they would blame him for trying to come out of it.

"Kyouya cares genuinely for people who really matter to him in spite of the indifferent and selfish attitude that he dons. Even though he manipulates them, he makes sure that they get best out of the situation. If you haven't realised that, then I don't think you have any right to call yourself his brother." Mori said also displeased with Akito's attitude.

They walked away leaving behind a completely stunned and shocked Akito Ootori along with his father and the school chairman.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you so much for all your reviews.I hope you like this chapter.<strong>

** Fairy Demon26****: Haruhi lets it slide as a coincidence as the last names in the story are different and she believes that her parents are commoners. Nevertheless, that story does stir up her suspicions and in the later chapters, she would figure out the truth herself.**


	5. Chapter 5 (whole)

**I had combined the previous chapter 5 part 1 and 2 into a whole chapter so that it would be easier to read and the feel of the narration would be better.**

**This is the story of a certain feared and most respected corporate lawyer Haruhi Ootori and her husband the shrewdest businessman of all times Kyouya Ootori**

**At Ouran Academy:**

Haruhi was unusually flustered as she hurried along the corridor that led to the music room three. She knew that Kyouya would be there. She knew that convincing Kyouya to go back to his home would be nearly impossible. She took a deep breath before she pushed open the door. When she entered, there was no sign of Kyouya. She panicked and was about to call out his name when he came out of the back room drying his face with a towel. She winced at the sight of him. His cheek was swollen and his lips were bruised. However, what scared her the most was what she saw in his eyes. His usually sharp and intense eyes were lacklustre due the hurt and pain that simmered in his heart.

Kyouya just sighed and walked to the nearest couch. He threw the towel on the arm of the couch and opted for his faithful laptop instead. He heard Haruhi sigh before she walked into the storage room. Glad to be left alone, he splurged into the task of booking a hotel room. 'There's no way that I'm ever going back to the mansion again…. no matter what. I'd have to inform Tachibana to shift all my belongings to my new suite by tomorrow morning…' he thought

He was so intensely gazing into his laptop that it came as a surprise to him when he felt Haruhi's hand on his arm. He looked to his side to see Haruhi on her knees with a first aid box in her hand. He couldn't help but smirk slightly "I never knew we had a first aid kit in our club room!" he said.

"Well, I stored it in the club room long time back, you never know when you'll need it with the host club around" she said as she started to clean his bruises with a cotton before applying an ointment. Kyouya let her do whatever she wanted. For some strange reason he enjoyed Haruhi's caring ministrations. It was an odd feeling…he felt at ease yet at the same time, his heart was raging inside his ribcage. The adrenaline rush that comes with drowning in water and the contentment that comes from floating on water…. However, all of a sudden, some important thought came hammering down on this buoyant feeling of his.

"Haruhi don't ever repeat what you did there, first my dad and now my brother… It's almost like you've a death wish or something…." He was ranting but stopped when he realised that she paid him no heed. He sighed and stilled her hand that was tending to his wounds and looked into her eyes and said "Haruhi…..they are not me….so you cannot….."

"My point exactly" she declared slowly pulling her hand out of his grasp. At his stunned look, she felt the need to explain, "You see there has been only one person so far who was able to intimidate me and that was you"

"And not to mention you scared the hell out of me" she muttered under her breath but the growing smirk on Kyouya's face made her realise that he had heard her and so she hurried along with her explanation

"And after dealing with your scary side and intimidation on a daily basis … I'm scared of absolutely nothing…not even the Ootoris"

Kyouya was amused even in the dishevelled state. "So…." He began leaning closer to her "you are scared of me, han? I could exploit it to my advantage"

Haruhi knew he was teasing her and was glad that he was slowly changing back to his normal self and all the pain and hurt in his eyes were slowly replaced by the amused twinkle that always dwelled in them. She decided to play along to keep up his current mood.

"In case you haven't noticed I used past tense…. I am not scared of you anymore and truth be told, from now onwards it's you who should be scared of me" she said also leaning closer, her face inches from his.

Before Kyouya could respond, they heard chorus coughs echoing through the room. They turned their heads to witness the rest of the host club members standing by the door. The twins were grinning like the devils that they were. Haruhi was wondering about the odd reactions of the twins when her eyes zeroed in on the raging figure of Tamaki, standing a little ahead of the rest of the hosts. Realisation stuck her like lightning and she immediately stood up and moved a bit farther away from Kyouya. Kyouya was a bit annoyed when Haruhi pulled away from him abruptly after witnessing Tamaki's anger but was slightly glad to see the rosy blush that had adorned her cheeks.

Tamaki was furious. They had walked into the room only to witness Kyouya sitting on the couch, Haruhi kneeling by his side and their faces just inches apart as if they were about to kiss each other. If their closeness had made him furious then it was nothing compared to what he was feeling at the sight of her blushing face. He wanted to strangle Kyouya. He wanted to accuse him of violating his daughter's mind. He wanted to call him names. More than anything, he wanted to punch Kyouya to a pulp. Nevertheless, he controlled himself at the sight of his friend's already battered face.

The awkward situation was eased by Hunny's chirpy question "so Kyo-chan, what are you going to do now?"

Kyouya who by now had turned his attention back to his laptop, said, "I am going to book a hotel room for a while until I get my own apartment"

"I am so sorry Kyo-chan,"

Kyouya raised his head in confusion only to witness the steely glint in Hunny- sempai's eyes that usually preceded his martial artist mode. Before Kyouya could react however, he felt a strong pain in the back of his neck and everything blacked out.

Mori caught him before he hit the ground. He slowly lifted the limp form of Kyouya and slung him on his strong shoulder. Hunny knew from the look in Kyouya's eyes that he wouldn't go back to his home no matter what. Therefore, he decided to knock Kyouya out – the best solution to persuade Kyouya, in his opinion.

The twins were dumbstruck; they didn't want to imagine what the consequences of knocking out their evil lord would be. Tamaki was elated and worried at the same time but his elation faltered as soon as he heard Haruhi's shriek.

"What do you think you are doing… hurting him like that when he is already bruised… I can't believe you would do something like that…. Why can't you understand that…?" She cut short her babbling when Mori gave her a quelling look.

Tamaki's suppressed rage reared its head back again at Haruhi's outburst which was so unlike her. She was unresponsive and calm even amidst the chaos of the host club. She only got angry when her wishes or ideals were not respected or ignored. Her reaction made him resent his best friend.

"I decided to persuade Kyo chan to go home, Haru chan!" Hunny chirped. Haruhi understood and sobered up immediately. She began to gather up Kyouya's things and started putting them in his bag.

"That was so cool sempai" Hikaru began

"You should teach us that move one day" Kaoru finished

Haruhi threw a dirty look towards the twins and said, "I don't think Kyouya would appreciate that"

She was busy gathering all of Kyouya's stuff that she didn't notice the incredulous look that the rest of the hosts were giving her at the lack of honorific after Kyouya's name.

'She didn't realise that she had dropped the honorific after Kyouya's name.' Mori thought and a slight smile tugged his lips. Nevertheless, he looked toward Tamaki to notice his reactions. The twins and Hunny were also looking at Tamaki with apprehensiveness. It shocked them to see their obnoxious king all-quiet and still. Tamaki was standing there rather stiffly looking at the floor. His hands were fisted at his sides. It was clear that he was trying to rein his emotions and rage.

"Yeah Haru chan is right. It would be a miracle if I somehow sail through the repercussions of forcing him to do something against his wishes," Hunny said trying to lighten the choking atmosphere in the room.

"I am done, let's go sempai" Haruhi said. She noticed Tamaki's unnatural silence and subconsciously knew that Tamaki had come to terms with his feelings for her. 'Well he better not blow his top when Kyouya is in this state' she thought apprehensively

Mori wordlessly walked out of the room carrying the unconscious Kyouya. The rest of the host club followed him silently.

Yoshio was pacing around the corridor where he was waiting for Kyouya. He had always encouraged competition between the siblings, so that they may develop and hone their skills and always be alert. However, as they were growing up, he had realised that what they had between them was more than competition- It was a fight. A fight that Kyouya had waged in order move ahead of his brothers, a fight that Akito took part in, in order to protect Yuuichi and to put Kyouya back into his place, a fight that Yuuichi had no idea about! he had feared that one day they might be at each other's throat. Finally, when everything had settled down and Kyouya had chosen his own path, the one thing that he feared had come true. 'fate is really twisted' he thought. The brothers had fought with each other like ruffians on the street just moments ago. He looked at Akito to give him a piece of his mind, but one look at his face, he knew that Akito regretted this incident more than he did. So he let it slide for now. He was trying to be his calm self, but the gods had decided to test him further and that test came in the form of an annoying child of a middle-aged man-Yuzuru.

"Haaa, how the mighty has fallen" Yuzuru taunted, glancing towards his usually stoic friend who was frantically pacing the corridor like a pregnant cat.

Yoshio threw him a dirty look and continued with his pacing, he wanted his son back and that was what mattered more. For once, he didn't bother with putting up an image or worried about showing his weakness. He looked at his watch and let out an annoyed sigh after realizing that it had been only 5 minutes.

'I'll give him 10 more minutes' time and if he doesn't come back by then, I'll let have the secret police rip this place apart, and bring him back.' He thought oblivious to the two people who were owlishly staring at him.

Akito had never once in his entire lifetime seen his father so frantic and if he dares to think, so desperate. His usually expressionless father was no longer there, in his place stood an enraged man, who was looking like he would rather bring down the entire place down than stand there and wait patiently.

Yuzuru, on the other hand was enjoying, this once –in- lifetime opportunity to the fullest. He had been watching the host club members ever since it was started and he knew that their friendship was their biggest strength. Therefore, he had no doubt whatsoever in his mind that they would bring back Kyouya no matter what so ever. Hence, he took the liberty of enjoying the sight of his anxious friend.

'I hope the cameras in the corridor are working well, Then I'd have footage of a vulnerable Yoshio…. I'll send the clipping to him on his birthday… though only after editing it and adding some special effects… I'm sure Yuji would do anything to get a glimpse of this Yoshio.

There was an excruciating silence where each man was immersed in his own thoughts. Promptly at the end of 10 minutes, Yoshio took his cell phone out to call their police but turned around and waited anxiously when he heard footsteps.

It seems that the heavy footfall belonged to the tall Morinozuka heir who had come into his view, so he sighed and tried to look beyond the young man, when something on his shoulder, caught his attention. He was utterly bewildered to see the limp form of his own son being carried like a sack of potatoes. He didn't know what he was expecting but whatever it was; it sure as hell wasn't this.

'He maybe the Morinozuka heir but that doesn't give him the right to do this to Kyouya. No one lays a finger on an Ootori and he is going to learn why the hard way' Yoshio thought fuming.

Haruhi and the others who were following Mori a few steps behind wondered as to why he had stopped so abruptly and stood completely still. Haruhi peered around her tall sempai only to witness fury in the form of Yoshio Ootori and she couldn't help but think 'like father like son'

She walked forward to stand next to Mori sempai, only to have upon her the intense death glare that had halted Mori sempai's progress. She took a deep breath and said "he was about to book a hotel room and he wouldn't have budged from that decision as long as he was conscious"

Hunny following Haruhi came to stand on the other side of Mori and said, "He is perfectly alright and will regain his consciousness in an hour or so. That should give you enough time to take him back home"

Yoshio knew how stubborn Kyouya could be and so he let the incident slide, but that didn't help him calm down. He gestured the host club to follow him, turned, and walked away quickly before he did some serious damage to them. Yuzuru seeing his son's face filled with a forlorn expression walked to him and put a hand on this shoulder. Tamaki raised his head to look at his father and Yuzuru instantly knew something other than his friend's state had caused the turmoil that seized his heart from the confusion and rage that swirled that had etched Tamaki's face.

"Come on" Yuzuru said, "It's about time we go home as well"

Mori followed the flamboyant father and son duo and the rest fell in step behind him. As the group passed him, Akito subconsciously joined them and he could clearly hear the chitchat among the bunch of friends that was a few steps ahead of them.

"Man… Here I thought Bassonova had a mean look" Hikaru muttered "Kyouya sempai's dad beats him hands down…. Scary"

"Well... At least now we know where Kyouya sempai got his death glare from!" Kaoru added

"It must run in the family..." Hunny said in a low voice "although I'm more scared of his reaction when he regains his consciousness"

"I just hope that everything turns out alright for him," Haruhi muttered with a far-off look in her eyes obviously more concerned about Kyouya even to bother about the little conversation.

From Her words and her concern and not to mention the knowing smirks the guys next to her had on their faces, Akito came to the conclusion that the petite girl was Kyouya's girlfriend. In spite of himself, he smiled.

Mori came out of the limo after placing Kyouya on a seat and carefully stretching out his legs so that he looked like he was sleeping. When he joined the others Yoshio addressed them "thank you all. I appreciate your help"

"No, thank you" Haruhi said giving one of her genuine smiles. Before Yoshio could ask to as to why she was thanking him, she handed him Kyouya's bag.

"When he wakes up, tell him that I would reschedule all his meetings in the week after his exams. That should give him enough time to recover and study as well," she said

Yoshio nodded, but before he could say anything, Hunny said "tell him that I'll punish myself for what I did. I would… I would….not eats cake for one whole day and Takashi would be my witness"

Yoshio didn't know whether to be shocked or to be angry. Akito was trying his best not to snicker like a kid.

"Ah" Mori grunted and said, "give him icepack"

"Meanwhile, If he ever needs to show his face to someone other than his laptop…" Kaoru began dropping a hand on his brother's shoulder

"Tell him to give us a call, we'd be happy to give him a makeover" Hikaru finished with a devilish grin.

"I have always wanted to see, how he looks with some mascara on! " Kaoru said scratching his chin.

"Didn't you guys already do that when you dressed him up in a gown" Haruhi asked, forgetting about the presence of the two members of the Ootori family in her curiosity.

Yoshio looked bewildered, appalled and utterly confused. Akito was covering his mouth in order to restrain himself from laughing. He desperately wanted to know if they still had a photo of Kyouya in the gown.

"Kyo-chan looked cute in that dress" Hunny chimed in.

"Well no, he didn't even allow us to touch his face at all." Hikaru sounded upset.

Akito couldn't hold his laughter anymore and he laughed out loud. He was laughing so hard that he had to hold the limo door as a support. 'Wait till Fuyumi nee-san hears this. She'd have a field day' he thought. Somehow laughing had subdued his overwhelming pain and guilt

Hearing his laughter, the host club members realised their mistake. They looked apprehensively at the Ootori patriarch. He looked like he was ready to kill someone.

"What exactly do you do at this host club of yours?" He demanded.

"You'd be better off not knowing Yoshio, trust me," Yuzuru said.

With a deep sigh, Yoshio turned and entered his limo and was followed by Akito who still had a remnant smile on his face.

The Suohs and the Hitachiins walked towards their limo. Hunny offered Haruhi a ride to her home.

Thus, everyone went back to the places they considered home, even Kyouya though he wasn't aware of it.

**At Ootori mansion:**

Fuyumi had put her baby to sleep and therefore walked into the living room to have some much needed rest. Her husband had come to meet her half an hour ago and he was engaged in a serious conversation with Yuuichi. Normally she would have brushed it as business talk, but the concerned look that marred Yuuichi's face made her think otherwise. Therefore, she walked towards them and she was getting more suspicious when they abruptly stopped talking at the sight of her.

"What is it you are hiding from me?" She demanded with her hands on her hips.

When neither of them replied, she turned and glared towards her husband. Shido, knowing her well came up with a way to escape before she could come up with blackmail.

"It's not my secret to tell, Fuyumi. If you should interrogate someone, then it's Yuuichi "he said

Unfortunately, as soon as his wife turned her attention to Yuuichi, he was pinned with Yuuichi's glare. 'What's with this family and glaring' he thought.

Fuyumi knowing that her brother won't yield easily remarked slyly "you businessmen and your secrets…. I give up"

When Yuuichi looked at her suspiciously, she flipped her cell phone dramatically and said, "Since you both are busy sharing secrets….I think I should share some secrets as well, but with…ah haaa…. nii-san's fiancée. I'm sure she'd appreciate a few embarrassing yet juicy stories of your childhood, nii-san, don't you think?"

Yuuichi looked appalled but snapped out of it as soon as he saw her lifting her cell phone to her ear.

"Alright, disconnect the call…I'll tell you" he said in a defeated tone.

She giggled happily and went to sit next to her husband.

Yuuichi just shook his head and started "look, this is just an assumption…..I'm not really sure….so don't react because I could be wrong."

"Get to the point" Fuyumi said irritation clearly lacing her voice.

Yuuichi handed over a file to his sister and said " I found this in Akito's office when I went to talk to him..." He paused giving time for his sister to go through the entire details.

"So who do you think this KO is and ….did Father tell you anything about this?" She asked even though she had a slight idea as to who the KO person was.

"No he never uttered a word about the company facing problems or that it was bought by someone else…..It was news to me when I saw the file and I think KO might be Kyouya and I think that's one of the reasons father never told us anything about it…. I'm not really sure"

"So what's the issue here? Don't tell me you are upset that Kyouya had bought the company…..So what if he finally did something that might get him in father's good book and in fact we should be cheering that he accomplished such a thing at the age of 17 and if you ask me…"

"Fuyumi…." He interrupted her ranting. "I am not upset…..I'm glad that the company is still in the family, and not under someone else….what I am really worried about though is Akito's reaction"

"What do you mean Nii-san?"

"You know how Akito hates Kyouya's competitiveness and admonishes him for it… well I think he has gone to meet Kyouya after getting that information… I'm not sure what he is going to do…. He might do something really regrettable in his anger…."

"Did you try to call him?"

"Well he's not answering his phone and so are Kyouya and father….I think something really bad has happened!" Yuuichi said.

While they were contemplating what to do …they heard footsteps and turned just in time to see their father walking into the living room with a scowl etched on his face followed by a rather sullen looking Akito and Tachibana carrying the limp form of Kyouya.

Fuyumi gasped with shock and rushed to couch where Tachibana had placed the unconscious Kyouya. She winced at the battered face of Kyouya. She kneeled down and gently caressed his hair and face. "What happened?" She asked with a faint tremor in her voice, not even bothering to look at the other occupants of the room.

"Fuyumi..." She heard her father's stern voice and turned around to look in his direction.

"Listen…we'll talk as soon as he wakes up….okay?" He said looking into the glazed eyes of his daughter. She nodded.

Fuyumi called a maid and said, "Inform the chef to make some soup and bring it here as soon as it's ready and get an ice pack as well"

Then without a word, she turned and went into her room. Yoshio sat on a couch nearby Kyouya and Akito sat next to him. Yuuichi and Shido sat on a couch opposite to them. Meanwhile Tachibana came in with a bag, placed it next to Kyouya's couch, and left silently. After a few minutes, the maid had returned with the ice pack. Fuyumi emerged from her room with a big bundle in her arm. She took a pillow from the bundle and placed it beneath Kyouya's head and draped a blanket over him, and sat on the floor next to the couch. The maid handed her the icepack, informed her that the soup would be ready in 15 minutes, and left the hall silently. An odd silence that hung around them; it was neither comforting nor uneasy.

Yuuichi couldn't help but notice that it was the first time that they all sat together in the living room as a family. 'After Mother died, we were all busy with our own thing that we didn't have time to sit together like this' he thought. He looked towards Akito and asked the one thing that was currently on his mind… "Akito don't tell me that Kyouya's current state was your doing?" He asked.

Fuyumi who till now had eyes for no one but Kyouya, turned and glared at Akito and yelled" I don't understand why you found the need to bash him like this just because he had bought one of her companies…. Are you really that dumb that you cannot see why he has to compete with the both of you…? You have attained father's acceptance without having to do much…but he…he has to come out of both of your shadows to be even be acknowledged by father… why…why" she couldn't utter another word as was she was practically sobbing by then.

"I… I wanted us all to be a family…" Akito said in a strained voice.

"What?" Yuuichi couldn't help but ask, as it was the most bizarre reason to beat a member of his or her own family. Fuyumi dried her tears and asked, "what do you mean?"

"Remember the time when mom was alive nee-san…we used to sit like this all together in the same room… we used to pick a couch each to sit and do our own work … i.e., until one of started to poke someone "he said.

"Or throw things at the other" Yuuichi said with a strained smile

"Or tease" Fuyumi added

"You never teased, Fuyumi, blackmail is the most suitable word" Yuichi said reminiscing the old days.

Fuyumi gave a weak chuckle and added "we used to finish our school work hurriedly just so we can start that…..Mom would get exhausted trying to stop our discrete shenanigans…"

Shido and Yoshio never interrupted the siblings. It was evident that they were reliving a past that was lost. Shido was surprised to hear that they were that close during their childhood. 'I think their mother's death affected them more than they realised'. Yoshio too was lost in the past- a past that was filled with sweet memories where love and happiness took the form of his wife.

"We were all together back then… We used to eat together, sit and talk together… even father used to do his work in this room" Akito said

"That's because mom locked his study and hid the key…..She said that was his punishment for spending too much time on work" Fuyumi said with a light laugh.

"Yes…back then even I wasn't exempted from her punishments!" Yoshio said joining in their conversation.

"After mom's death everything changed…. Father threw himself into work…." Akito said

" I couldn't bear to see a house devoid of her…..It was torment for me the next five years after her death, so I indulged in work just to keep myself from thinking about her…. I neglected you all when you needed me the most...," He said looking at the floor, his voice cracking with emotion.

A deep silence filled the room completely for a few minutes until Fuyumi spoke up…

Shido couldn't help but smile. He couldn't believe that they were discussing about what went wrong after all these years. 'It's never too late I guess"

"I think we all neglected each other in one way or the other while we were coping up…Yuuichi nii-san was in his teenage as such he had to stay strong and responsible and we were just children, free to cry whenever we wanted to….I think that caused a drift between us" Fuyumi said.

"yes…and … I didn't even take time to know Kyouya better….he was just a child back when mom died… ….by the time I had realised it Kyouya had already grown up and we're practically strangers living under the same roof…." Yuuichi said

"And Akito … he was pulled in both the directions…..He had to grow up and follow your lead yet he had to act his age" she said

"I didn't want to grow out of my childhood… I yearned for the love and pampering that I got from mom… I was seeking that from you… however you started taking care of Kyouya...and that was why I was jealous of him..." Akito said

"oh….Akito…I am so sorry, I didn't realise that…I thought that since you were older than Kyouya, you could take care of yourself whereas Kyouya was practically a baby…. I thought he needed someone in the place of a mother…..I'm so sorry" she said

"Don't worry nee-san…I was just being selfish back then…I didn't even stop to think that Kyouya couldn't spend as much time as we did with mom and probably he required a mother figure….I just shunned him…that caused a huge rift between us" he said.

"The only person Kyouya was close to was you…and he had to live under the shadow of his brothers who were nothing but strangers to him…..and I made it all the more difficult…I made him struggle to get my acceptance which Yuuichi already had….it must have been hard on him" Yoshio said lost in deep contemplation.

"So when Kyouya started competing with nii-san to become the heir of the zaibatsu….I kind of panicked because I thought his competitive nature may cause a fight between him and nii-san…and therefore shatter whatever semblance of a family we still had… I just wanted us to be a namesake family even if we really are not one anymore!" Akito said

Yoshio just patted Akito's shoulder without saying anything for he himself was at a loss for words. Everyone was quiet until Shido burst out laughing. He was laughing so hard that he had to clutch at his stomach. When his laughter died down however he gulped because there were four pairs of eyes trained on him and they all held one threat in them 'shut up, or we'll shut you up'

"Look I'm sorry I couldn't help but laugh…. You're a family alright…. your glaring powers are proof enough… it's like a family trademark or something" he said

This brought a small smile to everyone in the room.

A maid just announced her entrance and when she was given permission to enter, she came into the room with a tray containing two bowls of soup and a glass of water along with some salt and placed it on the table.

Once the maid was out of earshot, Shido continued, "But jokes aside... You are the weirdest family I have ever seen…your ways of showing that you care for the other person isn't normal to say the least. And not to mention, you all have complicated ways of dealing with emotions and affection that it isn't normal. Take Fuyumi for example,….she blackmails and annoys the hell out of the people she loves"

His comment earned a chuckle from everyone other than Fuyumi who was scowling at him but their attention soon diverted towards Kyouya when they realised he was slowly stirring.

"_**Much Noise**_" he growled and turned around to go back to sleep again.

" _**Small Bed**_" he grumbled trying to get into a comfortable position. Something in the back of his mind pricked him…way back almost near his neck. He unconsciously scratched the back of his neck and suddenly an image of Hunny sempai cropped in his mind. He bolted from his sleep growling like a hell dog when the realisation of what his childish senior did, hit him. Everyone in the room visibly flinched. 'May be the maids' story of him waking up in a bad mood was true after all' thought Yuuichi.

Kyouya opened his eyes only to see the concerned face of his sister looming near him. 'What's Fuyumi nee-san doing in the club room' he thought. Then he slowly looked around and realised that he was in his home, not the clubroom. He saw the anxious faces of his brother and father and a slightly amused Shido. Now he understood why Hunny sempai had knocked him out.

"_**Damn it Hunny sempai, you're going to Pay**_" he practically growled out the words before getting up from couch searching around the place to look for his bag. He spotted it and found out that all his possessions and documents were inside it. 'Haruhi must have done this' he thought. He lifted the bag and started marching out of the living room towards the main entrance.

Yuuichi, Shido and Fuyumi were confused as to why he was cursing his senior out of the blue. They all assumed that Akito had knocked him out in their scuffle and therefore had no idea why Kyouya was behaving like that.

"Kyouya, where are you going? Your room is this side!" She said pointing towards the direction of his room.

"I am leaving" he said bluntly.

Before Fuyumi could say anything, Yoshio said, "I did not bring you back here, just so you can walk away like that, Kyouya"

He turned and looked at his father and said in a calm tone "Bring me back….that's an understatement!" Although he sounded calm, his eyes betrayed his anger "… using my friend to knock me unconscious and transporting me here from the clubroom against my will is technically abduction!"

Fuyumi gasped, as she slowly understood the missing information about the entire situation. Yuuichi and Shido realised this as well. 'So, it was more than a scuffle. Kyouya did not want to come back but father had forced him to…something tells me this is going to be a bigger problem" Yuuichi thought.

"Look Kyouya I'm sorry I wouldn't have done this to you if I had known that you gave back..." Akito started but was interrupted by Kyouya

"What difference does it make if I gave the company back or not?After all, aren't I a snake waiting for the right opportunity to strike?" He said angrily.

He turned around started walking ignoring the calls of Fuyumi. He was almost out of the large room when he heard his father.

"Let him go Fuyumi, I have never been more disappointed by him! He's acting like a coward and this is no place for cowards!" Yoshio said.

The silence in the room was unbearable. It felt like the eerie silence, which precedes a storm. Everyone looked apprehensively at Kyouya who had halted after hearing Yoshio's words.

'How dare he call me a coward after all that happened? Didn't he hear Akito's accusations…? Yet he never came to my defence and now he has the audacity to call me a coward' Kyouya thought angrily. He was clutching his bag a little too tightly and was breathing deeply to rein in his anger.

'This doesn't seem to go well… I have to do something' Fuyumi thought seeing her little brother's attempt to calm himself. However before she could make a move, Kyouya turned around and walked back to his father.

"Oh is that what you call anyone who has an ounce of self respect left in him? Didn't you hear Akito nii-san's accusations? Do you think I'd even consider staying here after hearing everything he had to say" Kyouya yelled his feelings out to his father-loud and clear.

Akito felt guilty and was ashamed of himself as he saw the ongoing battle between Yoshio and Kyouya from the sidelines. Nevertheless, he was pulled out of his wallowing when he saw his father smirk.

Yoshio couldn't help but smirk as he thought 'so I still haven't lost my touch'. Akito's accusations ended up as a big blow to Kyouya's pride and self-respect and therefore he knew that any amount of persuasion would not make him stay. Kyouya was as stubborn as he was. So he decided the only way to make Kyouya listen to reason would be to give a blow to his pride again.

Kyouya knew that he was played by his own father at the sight of his father's smirk, and cursed himself for losing control.

"What you're doing is not an act of self respect. To put it simply you're running away…. From this house! From me! And from being my son!" Yoshio said

"That is ridiculous…. It's not like that at all" Kyouya countered. Even though he recognised the ring of truth in his father's words, he refused to acknowledge it.

"Kyouya…. I built this large mansion not for status, but for my children, grandchildren and their grandchildren. I seriously don't want to see a situation where this mansion is barren because all my children went their separate ways…." Yoshio said, "You are my son and therefore have every right to live in this house …. If you'd owned the fact that you're my son… you'd have fought to stay here no matter what anyone says"

"What …?" Kyouya uttered not knowing what else to say. He spent all these years trying to gain his father's acceptance, which he thought was only given to Akito and Yuuichi, but failed to realise that he had that as well.

Seeing that Kyouya had realised the meaning behind what he said, Yoshio walked towards him and patted his shoulder. When Kyouya raised his head, Yoshio said "I know I was hard on you but that was not because I didn't consider you as my son…..It was because you're my son. You always have my acceptance, Kyouya. I am proud of you and I have always been."

"But you always said that merely accomplishing what my brothers already did was not enough if I…."

"Yes…. I know what I said..." Yoshio interrupted "but that doesn't mean that I'm not proud of you or I didn't consider you worthy enough to be my son or my heir…. It's just I wanted you to come out of your brother's shadows and to make a name for yourself."

When he found Kyouya speechless, Yoshio embraced his son to convey the truth behind his words and it worked like magic. Kyouya reacted instantly and hugged his father tightly. He never received any form of assurance that he was loved, from his father. Now that he received it, he wanted to hold on to that moment forever.

Fuyumi was on the verge of tears. Akito was relieved that the intensity of the situation had simmered down and was happy for Kyouya. When he felt a hand on his shoulder…. He turned around to see Yuuichi standing close to him. He couldn't help but smile at the fact that somehow their family had resolved all their differences and reconciled together in one night.

As Yoshio pulled back from the embrace, he said in a stern tone "and besides just because you changed your track and started your own business so that you can surpass me and become my successor instead of my heir, it doesn't mean that you can disobey me and leave the house."

"What …..." Kyouya nearly yelled. He was downright annoyed.

Shido just sighed and returned to where he previously sat .Yuuichi and Akito chuckled as they followed Shido's example and took their places on the couch next to him. Fuyumi forced Kyouya to sit down on the couch before he could throw a tantrum again. However, just as he sat down, he noticed his father's smirk and realised that his father was just teasing him. He allowed a small smile to tug his lips. Fuyumi, who sat next to him, shoved the tray containing the soup onto his lap.

"You must be starving," she said. And Kyouya showed his agreement by gulping down the soup hurriedly.

"You know he's not the only one starving" Akito complained loudly "I didn't eat anything since morning"

Fuyumi just giggled and bestowed her famous hug on Akito and said… "Just give me 2 minutes…I'll get you….hey what's this?" her attention was now turned to the red mark on Akito's cheek.

"Oh…that…Kyouya's girlfriend slapped me," he said in low tone, embarrassed at the fact.

Kyouya choked on his soup and coughed loudly as he heard that. On the other hand, Yoshio found it highly amusing.

"Haruhi's not my girlfriend!" Kyouya said.

"So that was Haruhi!" Akito said as comprehension dawned on him.

"So what Kind of person is she? I know she's pretty and cute and petite….Tamaki Kun gave me some of her photos. But I don't want to take Tamaki Kun's pinion of her as you know he's very dramatic and often prone to exaggerate stuff"

"Nee-san…."Kyouya groaned not liking where the conversation was going.

"She's the epitome of the saying 'never judge a book by its cover'. She has a lot of spunk and guts for someone so petite and dainty and she sure can pack a punch," Akito said rubbing his cheek.

Fuyumi squealed in delight and said, "She's perfect. No wonder Kyouya wants to keep her with him all the time"

Seeing Kyouya's mortified expression, Akito decided to add fuel to the fire. "I'm impressed Kyouya, I always thought you were useless when it came to girls. But I must agree with nee-san….she's an excellent choice"

"Now I understand why Kyouya likes the girl…he's taking after father in this. Except in this case….The one who got slapped is you, Akito," Yuuichi said.

Everyone laughed.

"Not you two as well. It's bad enough that I have Fuyumi nee-san on my back." Kyouya said exasperation evident in his voice.

" Well you didn't precisely deny what we said… So in that case you also think that she's perfect for you" Fuyumi added slyly.

" I think I'm going to finish my dinner in my room and will leave you three to gossip all you want…..Seriously you're as bad as the host club" he said as he stood up with the tray in his hands.

At the mention of the host club, something hit Akito like a lightning and he was grinning like a fool. Kyouya didn't like his brother's expression one bit for it meant doom. He started walking quickly to his room before Akito could pull any scheme. Well fate was not on the side of the Youngest Ootori that day and he was about to witness his final trial.

"Speaking of the host club….nee-san did you know that Kyouya had worn a dress in his club and his friend says that he was looking_**cute**_ in that dress!" Akito drawled.

The tray with the bowl fell to the floor with a crashing noise. However, the noise was completely subdued by the excited screams of his sister. This could mean only one thing….His sister had a piece of information that she could use against him any day and knowing his sister, he steeled himself for the string of blackmails that she will spurn in the future. As his sister began to force the details out of him…he sighed and resigned to his fate for the first time in his life.

The next morning the servants of the Ootori household were astonished to see the entire Ootori family asleep on the large couches that lined the living room...

**The next day, Tamaki's bedroom:**

Tamaki couldn't sleep the entire night. The events that occurred the day before disturbed him. For once, he was sober and was doing some serious reflection on his feelings towards Haruhi. He knew he liked Haruhi, but he also wanted her to like him or rather only him. He wanted Haruhi to turn to him for help or for that matter anything. He wanted to impress her with his words and actions and the little things that he did for her like playing commoners game and going to commoners supermarket. Somewhere along the way, slowly, gradually but eventually he came to the conclusion that he liked Haruhi, but not as a father but as a man. Maybe it was the hints thrown at him by the rest of the host club or it was the jealousy he felt when potential male specimen had Haruhi's attention including the twins.

Even though he was territorial when it came to Haruhi, neither owning her not letting her go either, he felt that Haruhi had feelings for him as well no matter how minimal. Sure, she was not like the other girls he met, practically throwing themselves at him and falling for everything, he said, but he was sure that there was some connection between him and Haruhi. 'But somewhere I went wrong, it feels like Haruhi has slipped from my grasp.' He smiled at the thought.

Haruhi was the most elusive girl he had ever known and that was one of the things he liked about her. 'She even gave those twins a slip many times' he thought. Her elusiveness made her even more desirable.

Even though she was tomboyish and did not care about looks, there was an air of feminity and eloquence about her. Her features were refined and beautifully etched. She had big beautiful brown eyes and well shaped lips. She was dainty and petite. But somehow she knew exactly how to downplay all her attractive features so much so that no one can easily tell that she's a girl. Only those with keen eyes who can see past all the outer appearances deep into what kind of a person she really is would be able to tell that she's a girl and a beautiful one at that. 'Stupid Kyouya, no wonder he found out that she was a girl at first glance and kept it to himself till the end' he cursed. He punched his pillow in frustration as thinking about Kyouya brought the events of the day before flashed through his mind. He saw the latest version of the photo books for the host club table on his bedside table and sighed 'the fan girls are going to like this one more the previous release.' He thought. He took the book and flipped through the pages until he found Haruhi's section of the book. He slowly scanned all her photos.

Sure, the girls of the host club were very attractive, some more than her but Haruhi was not only attractive physically, but also she had an attractive personality. Her passion, dedication, spunk, intellect, blatant and down- to-earth attitude, and ability to face life head on even in adversity and to turn every challenge into opportunity together with her genuine love and care, sincerity, honesty and innocence made her unique. 'The fact that she melded and became an integral part of the club even though she joined the host club just to pay her debt in the first place is a proof in itself. No one would believe that an anti-social tomboyish nerd like Haruhi would do something as hosting and be good at it.' Something about her screamed unattainable and that's why he wanted to have her.

He almost tore the book when he saw a picture of Haruhi with Kyouya while sitting with him during the hosting. Ever since her gender was revealed, she sat next to Kyouya and did some of his work. This particular picture depicted them both sitting side by side and going through a file. Her smile and sense of ease was reflected in the pose. It was like she belonged by the side of Kyouya.

" Gah…..I'm over thinking things… maybe she's just glad that she doesn't have to do hosting anymore…. Yes that's it" he said aloud trying to convince himself. He knew that she hated hosting as much as Kyouya did, yet she hosted with such sincerity, and everything she said to clients was sincere and truthful unlike Kyouya who put up his charming façade, telling the girls all sugar coated stuff and literally conning them into buying the host club's merchandise. 'She's so much like Kyouya in many things yet at that same time she's so different from him' he thought. He threw the book in frustration as another image of Kyouya and Haruhi so close together back in the clubroom and looking as if they were about to kiss each other flashed through his mind. He stood up and started pacing.

Even though Kyouya was his best friend… he couldn't help but be furious at him. "He's stealing Haruhi from me…" he said it out loud. Ever since Ouran fair, somehow 'the barely there' relationship between Kyouya and Haruhi had morphed into something deeper and more meaningful right in front of his eyes and he couldn't do anything to stop it. 'Heck I didn't even notice it until recently' he thought. They were behaving like a married couple. They seemed to be always in a playful argument or fight where one of them will attack and the other will counter. This bantering always got on his nerves, because it was their special thing and he or any other couldn't be a part of it. 'I don't even want to be a part of it. Most of the time I don't even understand what they're talking about. I bet no one in the club does. Ok…maybe Hunny sempai does…he always has this knowing smile on his face when they converse and sometimes Mori sempai listens attentively to what they are speaking and occasionally smiles or comments….so what big deal" he said exasperatedly as he paced his room.

He closed his eyes to rein in his anger but as he closed his eyes, the image of Haruhi dancing like Aphrodite in the arms of Kyouya popped up in his mind. It was true that he had danced with Haruhi more than once the day before but every time she danced with him, she was just Haruhi nothing more nothing less. 'But while dancing with Kyouya…she became alive and completely transformed. Her countenance changed, she was moving gracefully, blending with the music and rhythm and the pace that Kyouya had set. It was not a part of an act that she had to play to blend in with the crowd. It seemed like a pleasure for her and for Kyouya as well' he thought. However, what irked him more was that his best friend was enjoying the beautiful vision that was Haruhi. He would have walked there and cut in their dance if it wasn't for Hunny sempai.

'Speaking of Hunny sempai…. It seems like Hunny and Mori sempai don't care what happens to Haruhi. They don't care even if the shadow king himself steals Haruhi from them. The twins were also behaving strangely' he thought.

His musing was interrupted by the knocking on his bedroom door.

"Come in" he yelled

Shima entered his room and said, "Your Grandmother is waiting for you downstairs, Tamaki Sama"

"What … when did she…..Oh no… Is she angry with me on something…..What am I going to do?" He yelled in his usual dramatic way.

"I think she's just here to check on you…. But if I were you I wouldn't keep her waiting" she said.

Tamaki was downstairs even before she could finish her sentence.

He just combed his hair with his fingers before greeting his grandmother so that he doesn't appear scruffy. She was sitting on one of the couches in the living room looking as if she'd rather be anywhere than here.

As he neared her, Tamaki bowed slightly and said, "I would have come to the main estate if you'd called me, you didn't have to take the trouble of coming here all the way, grandmother"

Shizue Suoh just scoffed at her grandson's appearance turning deaf ears to what he said. She stood up and fixed his messed up hair. "Tamaki, I assume you're studying well for the upcoming exams," she asked as she pushed his shoulders behind, so that he stood erect.

"Yes of course I'm studying really hard…..After all I have to keep up good grades being the chairman's son and all" he smiled. Somehow, he liked his grandmother fussing over his appearance. It was the only sign of affection that was bestowed upon him by his grandmother.

"Yet you are always behind that youngest Ootori in your studies…" Shizue said sarcastically and plop went Tamaki's high spirits and happiness. He was still smiling even though he was a little bit hurt by her harsh words

"Well let me get straight to the matter that I wish to discuss with you…. After the end of your exams, we'll be hosting a grand party to celebrate one of our new mergers. I expect you to be on your best behaviour on that day… Do I make myself clear?" Looking sharply at him

"Yes of course…. I'm on my best behaviour all the time," he said.

"And yet somehow I cannot see it" She said and started walking towards the door.

Both glad and disappointed that the little meeting with his grandmother was over; Tamaki slumped down onto the couch. He sprung from the couch when he heard his grandmother say, "There's one more thing Tamaki."

"Yes grandmother… what is it?" He asked in his usual enthusiastic way.

"You can bring all your friends to the party... even the commoner that you associate yourself with" Saying that Shizue walked out of the door. Just as the door closed behind her, she heard a loud and happy cry of 'Yahoo'.

Inside the room, Tamaki was jumping with joy and rolling on the couch. 'This is the perfect opportunity…..At this party I'll confess my feeling to Haruhi and win her back'

*Tamaki's mind theatre begins*

"Oh sempai…. Do you really mean it… do you really love me"

"Oh... Yes, I do my dear Haruhi…. You're the only girl I ever loved," he said.

After hearing, this Haruhi goes doe-eyed and leans slowly onto his chest. They are standing there in each other's arm as the sun sets down on the horizon.

*end of Tamaki's mind theatre.*

Little did he know that the party was going to put an end to all his plans!


	6. Chapter 6

**This is the story of a certain feared and most respected corporate lawyer Haruhi Ootori and her husband the shrewdest businessman of all times Kyouya Ootori and how they fell in love.**

**Three weeks later:**

'Consorting with the evil overlord certainly has its advantages' Haruhi thought as she came out of the Examination hall after the completion of her final Exam with the confidence that she would pass her first year in high school on top of her class. She was able to study well and do plenty of revision on time without any disturbance in the form of her well-meaning but highly annoying friends from the host club, all thanks to Kyouya. 'It's about time he put that scheming mind of his to good use' she thought. However, lost in her thought she didn't notice a figure leaning on the wall of the corridor a little bit ahead of her and consequentially bumped into the person.

Haruhi let out a squeal and snapped her head to give the person a piece of her mind; however, she ended up smiling as soon as she saw him. She reprimanded herself mentally for forgetting about their little ritual for the past three weeks.

Kyouya always popped up somewhere on the way from her examination hall to the main entrance of the school. Since Haruhi and Kyouya usually finished their exams early, it would ensure them some host free time to talk to each other. These fifteen minutes, where they could only get a few glimpses of the other followed by small greetings were something they looked forward to during these three tantalising weeks. Even though Haruhi was chauffeured back and forth from school (courtesy of Horita), Kyouya was not present on these rides, as he was always forced to take a different limo from the one he sent for Haruhi due to certain unavoidable circumstances (all thanks to his father, who still did not let go of his favourite pastime: tormenting Kyouya)

This brief estrangement arose from putting their 'MED-venture' (term coined by the gung-ho twins of the host club) on hold for a while in order to focus on their studies and to prepare for the examinations. Even though neither of them voiced it out, they missed the amount of time they used to spend with the other prior to the exam and all the bickering, bantering, planning, dreaming and certain uncharted feelings encompassed in those times. Thus, they were anticipating the end of examinations more than any other student in the entire school did and for the first time the most studious students of Ouran experienced the end of exam euphoria.

"That would be another 8 million yen, Haruhi!" Kyouya said casually with his trademark smirk etched on his face.

"What is it for? For bumping into you, I didn't know that the Ootoris were so _touchy." _She challenged him as she put emphasis on the last word.

"No, but the Ootoris are sticklers for punctuality and you are guilty of being a whole minute late in resuming your duty" He responded playfully.

Kyouya always took a slight sadistic pleasure in riling Haruhi up because he loved the way her usual apathetic expression turned slightly into an ephemeral blaze before morphing into resignation.

Moreover, if Haruhi's mild, irritation was anything to go by; Kyouya was becoming an expert at pushing her buttons indeed.

"What do you mean? I just finished my exam now! Don't tell me that you expected me to resume my work the moment I finished it," She nearly yelled.

Haruhi had always been disinterested in almost everything, maybe because she chose to have a single-minded focus on her studies. However, recently she had changed, the zealous charm that only arises at the sight of food, now become a consistent expression on her face giving her a glowing feminine look. 'No one will mistake her for a boy even if she wears boy's uniform, now' he thought.

"Of course, my generosity in granting you leave to prepare for your exams without any hindrance could be stretched only so much. Rare it may be, but an Ootori's generosity shouldn't be taken for granted!" he retorted casually with his hands in pockets and leaning on to the wall with a devil may care smirk adorning his lips, looking like he had absolutely no care in the world,.

Haruhi liked this attitude of Kyouya way better than his usual 'I work for merits only' attitude. The casual grace that he now possessed seemed more befitting for the cool type of the host club. Nevertheless, his sarcastic ways and his innate ability to get on her nerve remained intact no matter what. She sighed and huffed a bit before replying.

"Let me see, Charging 8 million yen for being a minute late … following your secretary everywhere just so that you can berate her for tardiness…" Haruhi said ticking off on her fingers "it seems you've left out the part about Ootoris being sticklers for ruthlessness and stalking from the description, Kyouya"

"Really now, I thought the word Ootori in itself meant stalking and ruthlessness. You should know that being my secretary and all! " He said and gestured her to walk with him. Haruhi fell in step with him.

"And here I thought working for the shadow king may have its merits, but I stand corrected" Haruhi said. Kyouya was about to counter her when they heard a loud "HAAAAAAAAAAAAA-RUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" and instinctively they knew it was their idiot king Tamaki and sure enough came running, madly waving hands at Haruhi. His loud cry (or whine as Haruhi calls it) was immediately followed by a blonde projectile, which came in the direction of Haruhi and attached itself to her. When Haruhi looked at it, she saw the cherubic face of her sweet loving sempai. Before she could greet her sempai, however, two arms latched themselves onto her shoulder and she didn't have to look to guess the hands belonged to the twins. As if reflecting her current mood, a dark shadow fell over her and she looked up to see the face of her silent sempai. From a distance, this might seem like an attempt to form a human pyramid to the unassuming eye.

"Guys… I can't breathe" Haruhi began, but soon enough was interrupted by Tamaki's actual whining. "What you guys, I saw Haruhi first, get off my Haruhi right now."

Tamaki had finally reached her and started prying of all the males from her especially the twins. However, everyone ignored him.

"HARUUUUUUU-CHAAAAAAAAAAAN, we missed you" Hunny sempai said almost at the verge of tears.

"I missed you guys as well…. But seriously you should let go of me now… or else I cannot..." Haruhi started pleading her case again. Unfortunately, she was interrupted, but this time by Kaoru.

"It was certainly boring..." Kaoru said rubbing his cheek against Haruhi's.

"Without our favourite toy" Hikaru said mimicking his brother's action and simultaneously checking out Kyouya's reaction. Unfortunately for Hikaru, he lacked observation skills, which Mori had in abundance and thus he took note of the Kyouya' eyebrow twitching a little at the twins' antics, which he inferred as mild irritation...

"Ammm…guys….your affection is a bit suffocating" Haruhi tried in vain to draw attention of the hosts to her current problem of restricted breathing. And once again, they successfully ignored the voice of the victim. If anything, they hugged her even tighter. Tamaki gave up on separating the twins from Haruhi and decided to meld himself into the group hug.

She gave up on oral negotiations and started with her take action approach, which was to extricate herself from the group hug or rather clutch. However, owing to her petite physique, she failed miserably. However, her efforts turn advantageous to Tamaki, who was finally able to squeeze into the maze of bodies and cling to her.

Finally, she resorted to seeking help from the devil himself (who was calmly standing in the distance and watched the scene unfold). Haruhi sent her best pleading look towards Kyouya. He waited for a couple of second just to annoy her before he said, "I hate to break it to you, but Ranka-san wouldn't like to hear that his daughter had fainted in school because she was manhandled by a couple of boys"

The effect was instantaneous... All the over-zealous boys just moved a bit to give her some breathing space. Haruhi silently nodded her thanks to Kyouya and he accepted it graciously but not as silently, for he said, "you should keep this in mind Haruhi, working for me definitely has its own charm." Tamaki turned his overbearing attention towards Kyouya immediately and started pestering him. "Hey, what did you mean by that? Why did you say that? Hey I'm talking to you…. Where're you going? Hey, Kyouya wait!"

Kyouya walked ahead ignoring the blabbering idiot who was following him. The rest of the hosts made up the rear of this slow progression out of the school. Before Haruhi could join Kyouya in his limo for her ride back home, the twins caught up with her.

"Hey Haruhi we will send the dress we made for the party tomorrow directly to your home." Hikaru said almost breathing in her ear much to Kyouya's dismay.

"As we know your measurements precisely, you don't have worry about having it fitted. It will be a perfect fit and you'll look absolutely stunning!" Kaoru added winking at her.

Tamaki stood tall and proud at the news but after hearing Haruhi's words he went pop like a busted balloon.

"What party? Is there some party tomorrow? Is it for the host club?" Haruhi asked.

When everyone just gaped at her, she turned her inquisitive eyes toward Kyouya.

For the three weeks, Kyouya was their only contact to Haruhi. They remembered the subtle threat Kyouya relayed prior to the exams which went like 'If Haruhi were to forced to quit school just because she couldn't maintain high grades all thanks to bunch of brainless idiots, then my plan of turning her into a corporate lawyer and taking full advantage of it will be ruined, won't it? I always prefer the method of eliminating the cause before effects can happen, what do you think?'

Thus, they decided not to disturb Haruhi with a single message or phone call during the examinations and relay any important messages to her through Kyouya himself. Therefore, the information about the party next day was expected to be conveyed to Haruhi by Kyouya. However, Haruhi's ignorance about the event came as a surprise to them. Therefore, five pairs of eyes pinned him and one of them held an accusing look.

"Oh… sorry Tamaki, I forgot to mention it to you…..We have an _important_ business meeting tomorrow with an _important_ client. So, we'll not be able to attend the party. That's why I didn't think it was necessary to inform her about the party" Kyouya replied smoothly and held Haruhi's hand tightly as if in preparation to whisk her away from the spot at any moment.

The twins groaned and even Hunny sempai let out a dissatisfied chirp and Mori put his hand on Kyouya's shoulder as a warning that he was going too far. Sure, they were happy to see that Kyouya and Haruhi were getting along well; nevertheless, the fact that Kyouya was practically keeping Haruhi away from them annoyed them. Even though they didn't see her as a love interest, they still craved her company after all; she was like an older sister to Hunny and a younger one to Mori and a best friend to the twins. Hence, Hunny decided to put a stop to this attitude of Kyouya when Tamaki protested to Kyouya's reply.

"Kyouya, how can you do this? It's not fair; you cannot control Haruhi's life. You're trying to steal Haruhi away from me!" Tamaki blurted out. When everyone turned their attention to him, he started to fluster and covered up "You know this is the first time, my grandmother asked me to do something personally and she requested me to bring all my friends to the party including Haruhi. I cannot disappoint her"

The twins gasped loudly after hearing the last part but Tamaki mistook it for them showing their support towards what he said. Haruhi didn't understand why Kyouya lied about the situation. She knew for sure that there was no meeting the next day. If there was, she was sure he would have informed her ahead of time. Her heart went out to Tamaki and she understood how much gaining his grandmother's approval meant to him. She was about to agree to Tamaki's request when a sharp look from Kyouya made her shut her mouth immediately. She concluded that there must be a very solid reason behind why Kyouya refused to attend the party.

If Hunny was angry moments ago, he was angrier now but all his anger turned from Kyouya to Tamaki. 'How can one be so oblivious and selfish? Can't he see this is a trap set by his grandmother? Is he that stupid? To risk Haruhi's safety just so he could spend a little time dancing around her… IDIOT' Hunny thought. Mori sensing Hunny's agitation moved to stand between Tamaki and Hunny and shook his head when Hunny looked his way which meant 'let Kyouya handle this'

"Like I said Tamaki, I have a very important meeting which I cannot forsake for some party and I am a professional, therefore, I don't let petty things like sentiments and friendships stand in my way. I'll apologise to your grandmother personally afterwards for our absence in the party. Now we have to take leave. Goodbye everyone" Kyouya said acidly in crisp tones which clearly indicated that the topic was not to be broached again. He practically shoved Haruhi into the limo before getting into it himself. Tamaki looked like he would even stand in the path of the limo just to block them and make them agree to come to his party. Mori took note of this and held him tightly.

"Cheer up boss…. It's gonna be a boring party anyway" Kaoru said.

Tamaki still looked like a wounded animal.

"We can give a bigger grander and cooler compensation party for Haru-chan the day after tomorrow" Hunny added and Tamaki brightened a bit, but what Hikaru said next made his day.

"May be we should keep this party a secret from Kyouya sempai after all he spent three long weeks with Haruhi!" Hikaru said as he walked towards the limo. Moreover, none of the other hosts seemed repelled by the idea; in fact, every one of them supported the sentiment whole-heartedly.

* * *

><p><strong>In the Limo:<strong>

Haruhi waited for Kyouya to explain his actions, but after a few minutes of awkward silence she gave up and prodded him for an explanation

"Ano…. Kyouya?" She began.

"Nani…?" He replied coldly.

"Well…..I know you've a reason for doing what you did….." She tried again and when he raised his eyebrow she added "and I know that you won't explain your reasons unless you deem necessary or essential. But I think the reason you refused concerns me and if what I think is correct, then I do have the right to listen to your reason, don't I?"

Kyouya scoffed his annoyance and asked, "Do you trust me, Haruhi?"

And she countered him with a question of her own "Which side of you: The Ootori or Kyouya?"

He was taken aback by her question and he pondered about it for the rest of the ride back to Haruhi's apartment and she sat there across him silently and calmly looking out of the window and giving him as much time as he required to answer her question. When the limo stopped before her apartment, she didn't push him to answer her (like he expected her to do) instead she smiled at him and moved to get out of the limo. Before she could open the door, however, he grabbed her hand and when she gave him questioning look he simply shrugged and said, "I would like some kind of payment for keeping the others from disturbing you during the exams. My generosity does come with a price tag"

"Well, what would be the price?" She said deciding to play along.

"You, being a commoner cannot offer me much…." He said and she raised her eyebrows at the subtle insult and muttered her usual catch phrase 'damn rich bastard'

"So I shall opt for your company instead!" He added.

"You didn't have to give an elaborate innuendo just to get invited into my apartment, Kyouya. Do you always follow the crafty approach to ask for things or is it an Ootori trademark?

"Once again you pushed me into 'the Ootori or Kyouya' dilemma …. Hmm…..You do always come back to the point until you get complete clarification, don't you? These lawyer-like traits must be in your genes!" He said reluctantly and decided to grace her with at least some semblance of a reply "Will it suffice for now if I say that you're the only person from whom I'll ask for things? Usually I take or make things that I want either as Kyouya or as an Ootori, it doesn't matter which one I am"

"I'm glad to know that I'm an exception that you have and yes it will suffice until the time you decide to come clear with your answer to the question that I asked you earlier and only then you'll get my reply." She said and got out of the limo and when Kyouya didn't immediately follow her, she looked at him and asked "tea or coffee?"

"Coffee…. It's been a long day" came the reply.

"Well come back before it gets cold" she said before walking to her apartment.

This made Kyouya wonder as to how she could read his every move and for a second he feared that he was becoming too transparent. Well she was the girl who stripped him of his façade; it shouldn't surprise him anymore if she could interpret his actions. He smiled at the thought and searched the vicinity for a while until he spotted an inconspicuous commoner leaning on the wall of a building nearby. He pulled out his cell phone and sent a text message. He got out his limo and went to the driver's seat to talk to Tachibana.

"Don't wait for me, go back… I'll call you when I need you and tell Horita that I'm really sorry that he has to stake out this area everyday and work….."

Tachibana interrupted him and said, "He's really happy... He likes to do such things and besides I think he particularly enjoys Fujioka-san's homemade meals and shopping with her. The truth is if you ask him to return back to his former job now, he would be really reluctant and very upset"

Kyouya smiled and walked to Haruhi's apartment. The man leaning on the wall took out his cell phone as had received a message.

"Be extra cautious today, I'm expecting some visit from the lady Suoh. Call me as soon as you any signs of it. Thank you for your hard work –KO" Horita smiled and walked to a place where he could have a good view of the street.

* * *

><p><strong>At Ouran Academy, Chairman's office: <strong>

Yuzuru looked up when he heard someone entering his office and could only grimace when he saw who it was.

The visitor said, "I see that you're not happy to see me"

"You never visit my office here in the school to give me any happy new either mother" he replied.

"Well you're right about that" she sat down on one of the comfortable couches placed in the room and turned to her secretary "get me a cup of coffee, will you?"

The secretary took at it as a cue to leave them alone and left the room immediately.

"You're being rather Discreet, so I guess the matter must be of utmost importance"

"Yes it is… I have found out the location of your wife," she said.

"Really? Moreover, why are you telling me this? " He asked cautiously

"So you don't really know where she is? Don't lie to me… after all this time, she suddenly went missing from the Tonnerre mansion and you want me to believe that you weren't behind it?" She accused him.

"Tonnerre mansion?" Yuzuru wondered aloud. Seeing that the shock and surprise on her son's face after hearing the news was genuine she concluded that he didn't know this information prior to her visit here.

"So you don't really know. Who else could have been behind this?" She started going through a list of possible people in her mind.

"She could have left the mansion out of her own volition" he supplied knowing full well who was behind his wife's disappearance. He thanked Kyouya with all his heart and tries to hide the jubilation that he felt at the moment completely so that his mom doesn't get suspicious.

"If that was the reason behind your visit…. Then I guess it was futile…." He started trying to get his usher his mother out of his room.

"That's not all…. I'm here to talk about tomorrow's party" she said.

"What about it? It's just a celebratory party for our new merger where we decided to let Tamaki set the stage as the future Suoh heir!" He asked cautiously.

"Yes…. But that boy is unpredictable and I don't want our family to suffer another scandal…. So I decided to use this party to put an end to all the scandalous situations that might arise in the future once and for all" she replied evenly.

"What do you mean?" He asked not liking their current topic of discussion was going.

"I'm going to get Tamaki engaged to the second daughter of the Kaneko family and I'll officially announce the engagement in the party"

"I can't believe this! Why didn't you tell me about it earlier? Tamaki will never agree to do this. Remember the mishap last time." Yuzuru replied his anger evident in his hoarse voice.

"Oh yes… he'll agree… I made a miscalculation last time thinking that no matter what the most important person in his life would be his mother. However, this time the wager is someone who is really important to him" she said slyly.

Yuzuru threw caution to the winds and replied hotly "leave Haruhi Fujioka out of this, It is Tamaki who's infatuated with her, not the other way around."

"So you knew it, yet you never took a measure to chuck the nuisance out of this place" she glared at him accusingly.

"The girl got into the school out of hard work and I didn't think she should suffer for Tamaki's actions. Besides, she's not one bit interested in Tamaki or the wealth or status that he represents and I have proof of that. I'll show it to you….." He moved to pull his draw to take out the CD of video footage that he had sent to Yoshio

"Leave it be… I'll take your word for her pure intentions. However that is not going to change the fact that she is the trump card that I'm going to use to make Tamaki agree to the engagement tomorrow. Do not even once think of warning Tamaki about the engagement ahead of time. All precautions have been taken to keep him under my scrutiny for the next 24 hours. I have asked him to stay at the Suoh main estate today!" She warned him

"But do remember this mother, Haruhi may seem like a commoner at first glance…. But she's not a commoner.." He warned his mother hoping that his mother would pay more attention to his words. After all, in the guise of a commoner Haruhi was the sole heir to the two of the most powerful and influential families and not to mention she also has the inconspicuous support of the Ootori, Haninozuka, Morinozuka and the Hitachiin heirs. 'One petite girl who holds so much power in her hands and yet is oblivious to all that' he smiled involuntarily at the thought.

His mother narrowed her eyes at his smile and he quickly schooled his expression to that of a mournful one.

"Yes I have heard some rumours about that. It seems all the six boys of the host club have soft spots for her and would do anything if she were in danger. From what I have heard even the Ootori boy seems to be attached to her!" She said.

"They all consider as a member of their family and the bond between them is indeed strong and yeah Kyouya holds her in the highest esteem" he carefully worded his reply.

"The Ootori holding a commoner in high esteem, you say? Then I think the girl is indeed quite special…. I should pay her a visit in order to solve this conundrum of the girl, what do you think?" She asked slyly.

"Even after all the planning that you did, you're still pushed to the final result of making an appearance to her abode personally. Did something go wrong with your plans?" He asked hopefully

She paused and weighed her words carefully before she continued, "I didn't take the attachment of the Ootori boy to the girl into account when I planned this engagement, but now the boy is the one who is posing the problem. I think he suspects my motives behind inviting the commoner to the party and from what I had heard from Tamaki, he has plain refused to let her attend the party"

'Well, as long as Kyouya decided to take action, Haruhi would be safe with him. But I think I should warn Yoshio ahead of time' he thought and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure that you want to go against the Ootoris?" He asked her in a matter of fact way.

"It's not like he's the heir and anyway I would be doing Yoshio a favour if I successfully manage to sever whatever attachment the boy has over that commoner…."

'She couldn't be farther from the truth... Yoshio is not as blinded by lineage and status as she is…. Even if he craves power and control… his children are his priority… that is why he is still humane in spite of the coldness' he thought

"So you've got tired of meddling with our lives now that you've decided to meddle with other's lives." He asked sarcastically.

She ignored the jibe and continued, "So tell me… did the boy ask you for financial assistance"

"Don't tell me you've planted spies in the school as well?" He asked incredulously.

"Why? How much was it?" She pressed.

"If you don't know, then I am not going to answer it and before you ask, I have decided to help him!" He replied hotly. He thanked God that Kyouya was clever enough not to disclose the reason or the amount of money he required in the office room and had requested him for a separate meeting in another location to discuss further details .

"I heard that he had given the exams for his final year and therefore he'll be graduating a year ahead and yet he chose to keep that a secret" she wondered.

"Yes what of it?" Yuzuru retorted annoyed with his mother's interference and a pounding headache that he was having.

"Well… He had asked you for financial help, even though he has no scarcity of money and he's graduated early and yet he keeps it a secret… then there is his attachment to the girl to be considered. I think he's planning to elope with the girl as soon as he turns 18" she voiced the theory that she had formulated. However, her son's reaction was not something she expected. He was laughing and shaking uncontrollably with mirth. It took him whole five minutes to sober down.

"What is so amusing? She asked anger evident in her voice and face.

He chuckled before replying, "That's the most far fetched theory I have ever heard. If it would have been Tamaki in Kyouya's place then I can say eloping with the girl he loves is the most probable situation…..However I cannot even imagine Kyouya doing such a thing"

"So… you're saying that it can never happen…. How can you be sure?" She asked, questioning his assurance.

" I have watched Kyouya since he was a child and I know what type of person he really his. If I were to fault Tamaki for anything then that would be his nature to give up something he loves in order to obtain something else. He thinks sacrifices and compromises are a way of life. I just hope he changes that attitude of his!" He said caressing the photo of young Tamaki that was on his desk.

"Kyouya on the other hand," he continued "doesn't have compromise or sacrifice in his vocabulary. He doesn't give up anything that he wants in order to attain something else. I have seen him fight, scheme and toil to obtain all that he desires." He said fingering a petal of the bird of paradise flower that was in a vase on his desk.

"So you are saying he wouldn't give up his future for a mere commoner" she asked not fully comprehending what he said.

Yuzuru shook his head at the narrow-minded thinking that his mother possessed and wondered if he should even bother explaining things to her who'll never comprehend no matter what he says. 'Then again, tomorrow she's going to learn that there are some people with whom one shouldn't meddle with and let this be precautionary warning' He thought.

"I am saying that Kyouya wouldn't give up his hard earned skills, status, reputation, contacts and lifestyle for the girl he loves. He wouldn't give up the girl he loves for all these things either. If anything, he would fight to have everything he wants in his life. That's Kyouya for you!" He concluded.

"So?" She pressed.

"So Kyouya would definitely stand in your way if you use the girl as a pawn and using his own high status, lineage or position or even his own father as a threat, will not make him budge. In other words, as long as you're firm on using Haruhi as a wager, the one who'll be moving the pieces will be Kyouya and you'll not be able to control the game that you started." He said.

There was a knock at the door and Yuzuru asked the person to come in. The secretary entered the room with a cup of coffee but before she could offer it to Shizue, he grabbed it from her hands.

"I'll have that, thank you!" He said and at the secretary's dumbstruck look, he added, "you see my mother here gave me quite a headache"

His mother glowered at him for the audacious remark and he sipped the coffee calmly as if nothing was wrong. The secretary stared from mother to son, it looked like their attitudes were switched completely during the time she was absent. Earlier the mother had been the calm and confident one and the chairman seemed anxious. Now the mother seemed anxious and the chairman seemed relaxed and at ease.

"Since you seem to know so much, can you tell me what will be the outcome if the Ootori boy interferes" she asked haughtily.

"The outcome will be the one which is best for Tamaki, not what is best for the Suoh name" he replied calmly.

* * *

><p><strong>Haruhi's apartment:<strong>

Kyouya and Haruhi were now sitting in an amicable silence. The only evidence of their hour-long chat that ended just moments ago was the empty coffee cups on the table. They had talked about everything and anything right from Tamaki's expression to physics equations to discounted prices of the groceries in the commoner's supermarket and when they were out of topics to talk about, they fell into a silence. The silence wasn't awkward… it was something that was filled with anticipation and stolen glances. Finally, Kyouya decided to broach the topic that he had decided to dodge earlier. He knew the Suoh matriarch would be arriving there soon and he deemed it necessary that Haruhi should have an understanding of whose attention she had involuntarily ensnared.

He realised that Haruhi was going to be some sort of bargaining chip in Shizue Suoh's plan to make Tamaki dance to her tunes. Therefore, Haruhi's presence would be vital in the party. He knew Shizue Suoh relied on Tamaki to bring Haruhi to the party and now that Tamaki had failed, he had a hunch that she would come here to threaten or convince or blackmail Haruhi into attending the party the next day. That's why he chose to stay by Haruhi's side.

He jumped right into the topic without a preamble "To the people in the highest echelon, commoners are insignificant and one doesn't show interest in insignificant things. However, her sudden interest in you simply means that you have some significance. A commoner like you to hold some significance in the eyes of someone like her implies that you're a pawn in one of her schemes."

"Was it the same reason you were…." She searched for the right word, "a bit worried when you found your father in my apartment. Does his sudden interest in me imply that I am a part of his scheme as well?"

Kyouya took his time to give her a reply. He didn't want to scare her off neither did he want to lie. Therefore, he decided to convey the truth carefully and wisely. "I wouldn't deny that you are a part of his scheme just as I was until now, but I don't know what his scheme is. That is the reason I wanted to look at the CD he gave to Ranka-san… However from the way Ranka-san reacted to my father's presence leads me to conclude that my father's motive may not pose you any threat" he paused to let his words sink.

Haruhi had thought about it too and she came to the same conclusion as Kyouya. No matter how much of a goofball her dad was, He was a highly intelligent and sharp individual whose most prized possessions were she and the memories of her mother that he held in his heart. If any danger were to befall her…. She knew her father would be the first person to counter it.

Seeing that Haruhi understood the situation he continued, "However, Shizue san's motive may not be as harmless. She would do anything to retain their high status and lineage and she is not above using people or eliminating them if the need arises. Do you understand?" He explained to her what type of person Shizue Suoh was.

Haruhi nodded and listened more attentively as she realised the implications of what he said.

"You're her pawn and tomorrow's party is where she'll use you as a bait to make Tamaki do what she wants…" he said

"You mean she knows of Tamaki sempai's…." Haruhi let her words trail off unable to express her thoughts orally.

"Yes, she knows that he's obsessed with you. She has planted many people to monitor Tamaki's actions and anyone with a pair of eyes and a brain can see that he's infatuated with you"

" So tomorrow she'll use me to control Tamaki sempai's action.." She asked as if to confirm.

" I don't think it's just that because if she wanted to control Tamaki's action she could have just used your name and your position as a scholarship student as the bargaining chip and Tamaki would blindly do anything to make sure you finish your studies in Ouran so that you can become a lawyer as you wished. In this scenario however, she has requested your presence which means…" Kyouya just let his sentence hanging to think of the right way to break the news to Haruhi who was not used to the dirty politics of the rich society.

"Which means?" Haruhi prodded.

"She'll personally evaluate the influence you have on Tamaki. After the Éclair Tonnerre incident she must know for sure that you can sway Tamaki's mindset and decision and she wouldn't let anyone who holds such power over the Suoh heir to have a free reign. If she deems that you're a threat…. Then… then…" He was unable to express his thoughts into words and he felt that his chest was becoming heavy and he felt like choking.

"Then she'll get…..She'll get rid of me for sure… A pawn… which is used to get an opening and once its purpose is over it can be sacrificed" she could hardly speak as comprehension dawned on her. Her beat wildly as she processed everything he said. She couldn't even digest the implications of what she heard, moreover, the thought of rich people treating people like her as trash made her feel constipated. Kyouya could feel Haruhi's bitterness and anger and resentment. He moved closer to her and put his hand over hers in a comforting gesture. After finally bringing her wildly beating heart under her control she asked him "….am I that…..I mean am I that to your father- a sacrificial pawn?"

Kyouya smiled and said "Even among Damn rich bastards like us…" Haruhi smiled bitterly at the use of her catchphrase "there are two types. Listen well. There are those who think they wield power and there are those who actually wield it. The former only counts the king as the worthy piece and therefore sacrifice their pawns without second thought and that is the reason why they can never actually wield power…."

He moved closer to her and took her hands in his and continued "However for those who actually have power, every piece matters. Only the people who have some significance on their own are made to be their pawns and the pawns are used for only one purpose which is not to be sacrificed but to be moved till the other end so that they can get their queen back." He said.

Haruhi couldn't help but smile at Kyouya explanation. It was metaphorical yet the description hit home. "You know Kyouya I think you play too much chess."

Kyouya was too shocked to say anything and eventually he burst out laughing. Now it was Haruhi's turn to ask him what was wrong.

"That is all you can come up with after all I said…seriously you're really something Haruhi" he said.

Haruhi smiled sweetly and conceded, "Was that the reason, you didn't inform me about the party and you refused to let me attend it"

"Well, not exactly?" He replied.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You see, me refusing to let you go to the party will not have much of an effect. If Shizue-san wants you to be in the party, she'll make sure that you'll be there in the party one way or another." He explained.

"Then why did you refuse, if you know for sure that I would have to attend the party anyway" she asked not understanding his thought process

"Well I don't know what she has planned and how grave it'll be. Therefore, I decided to test the waters first. If someone like me is backing you up, Shizue san will take drastic measures and will do something that may reveal how she's going to use you. If Shizue-san comes here personally like I suspect she would, then we have to prepare for all contingencies and if she doesn't come today, you can relax for you'll play only a harmless minor role in her scheme."

Haruhi nodded, understanding the situation. She couldn't help but wonder how Kyouya can plan two steps ahead of everyone. She was thankful for the fact that Kyouya had voluntarily decided to keep her out of danger. However, she didn't know if it was because she was important to him or because she was his pawn whom he decided to safeguard just so that he can use her later. 'Yes he did indeed make you his secretary just so he can utilise your abilities as he started his own business.' An annoying little voice reminded her in her head. She kept her traitorous thoughts to herself and calmly said. "Well, If I am going to have a guest soon, I might as well prepare some tea for her" and she took the empty coffee cups with her into the kitchen.

Kyouya was glad that Haruhi didn't seem to be completely perturbed. She understood the gravity of the situation and yet she was still unafraid and bold. Nevertheless, the way she glanced at him from the kitchen indicated that something else was bugging her. Still, he didn't want to probe into it besides there was one essential task he had to finish which was securing her trust. He knew Haruhi enough to know that she wouldn't cooperate with him completely unless and until she trusted him completely and he required her full cooperation if he were to protect her. Therefore, he got up and went to the kitchen.

Haruhi turned towards him after she poured water into the kettle to make tea.

"I'll ask you again Haruhi, do you trust me? And I want you to trust me as Kyouya Ootori the complete person and not just one side of me and I want you to trust me enough to do everything I ask you to do and follow me wherever I go and stand by my side no matter what. And unless and until you do that I will not be able to keep you safe and away from danger" he said looking into her eyes.

"The truth is I only trust the Kyouya in you and as long as I can see him through the screen of the youngest Ootori you put up, I will trust you. But, if you want my complete irrevocable and blind trust, then I want to know what is your real motive behind trying to protect me. Tell me honestly… am I a pawn in Kyouya Ootori's scheme as well? Is that why you're protecting me?"

He was startled for a second and then it dawned on him 'so this is what was bugging her earlier' he thought. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He locked his eyes with her and replied, "I like chess but I find it complex and tiring. Therefore the game of my life is different and is a simple one at that and as such I don't require a pawn"

At the unbelieving look she shot him, he chuckled and said, "Kyouya Ootori's game is Dodge and Grab and I was playing it all alone until now. Now that I have found a reliable and trustworthy partner, who can help me in difficult times, I have decided to play it with her. This way the game would become a lot easier and far more interesting and as a partner I have to help her in her time of need."

"Dodge and grab" Haruhi asked incredulously.

"Well I dodge all the obstacles in my path and I grab all the things that I want in my life." He replied.

Haruhi's earlier doubts, hesitation and uncertainties vanished instantly at his reply and she smiled her signature radiant smile and said, "Well then I'll trust you completely, irrevocably and blindly, _partner_." She said extending her hand for a handshake. Kyouya took her hand shook it lightly and said, "It's a deal then"

Just at that moment, his cell phone rang and Haruhi saw his glasses flash indicating that he was up to something.

* * *

><p><strong>The next day:<strong>

Horita sensed Haruhi's soberness and melancholic look. The young girl was seated in the limo and she looked out through the window with a rather faraway look in her eyes.

"Is something wrong Haruhi?" He asked. In the initial stages of guarding her, he tried to be inconspicuous. However, the girl was sharp enough to notice him and warm hearted enough to befriend him. He couldn't help but be intrigued about her down to earth attitude. Even though she was close friends with some of the powerful, wealthy and influential people of her generation, she did not get carried away and remained her usual self – an innocent commoner girl. Moreover, the fact that she refused to be called Haruhi-sama was proof enough. "Please don't call me that Horita san; I am just a high school girl. Call me Haruhi!" she said every time he called her Haruhi sama.

"No….It's nothing" came her uninterested reply.

"Well you don't seem your usual self!" He declared.

"I don't really know what my usual self is, Horita san. I don't know anymore…." She said with a wistful smile, "for you see being chauffeured back and forth is not being my usual self as well. I belong there…..With those people" she said pointing to the people walking on the pedestrian pathway through the window "and yet here I am being shipped with utmost comfort and luxury right into the lion's den…."

"Haruhi…" Horita began not knowing what to tell the usually bold and strong willed girl.

"Look at me… I am just play-acting as a rich person…. Wearing these dresses which may cost more than my apartment and meeting with high class people. It's not like I wanted or coveted these yet I am being targeted for things that I did not desire"

"I think you're….." He tried again, however, Haruhi interrupted him resentment clear in her voice.

"And why I am targeted even if I am not the one at fault here…. It's because I am a mere commoner and therefore anyone can toy with us and discard us when not needed. Who would even care if the victim was a commoner?"

"

Haruhi listen. You're right you don't belong here with the rich class people not because you don't deserve to be a part of it but it's rather the other way round" he said trying to get her to her calm and logical self.

"What do you mean Horita-san?" She asked trying to grasp the meaning behind what he said.

"These so called high class people don't deserve to be in your company or to associate themselves with someone like you"

"You're exaggerating Horita-san… it's okay…..I understand that you're trying to make me feel better" she said smiling a little.

"Haruhi I am not doing anything of the sort… I'm just stating the facts… Ok let me put it this way… You've been friends with these boys for a year now right. …. What are the things that you've asked for ever since you became a part of their circle…." He asked her changing his tactics to make her understand.

"Well…..Many things….." Haruhi scratched her head in an embarrassed way and said

"I haven't openly asked for it…. When they bribe me with food and especially fancy tuna, I kind of give in…..and there are times when I'll sit near Hunny sempai when he eats strawberry cake just because he would offer me some and I was really glad that one time when…." She listed the times when she had the taste of rich life quite literally but stopped immediately at Horita's guffaw.

Horita laughed and laughed so much that he could not drive properly any longer, and therefore he pulled over just so he can laugh without hindrance.

"Was it something I said?" Haruhi asked him cautiously.

"Don't you realise it yourself?" He asked as his laughter died down and he resumed driving.

"What? I mean I know that I do take advantage of their wealth but then…." She tried to justify her actions when Horita interrupted.

"Haruhi… Do you even know what people would ask for if they were fortunate enough to be in your position?" He asked seriously.

She shook her head.

"Anything and everything under the sun and it is the same if they are rich or a commoner like you. A delicacy here and there is not even worth mentioning when we consider the amount of things people will leach out of such a situation…" he said and Haruhi looked at him with a disbelieving expression on her face.

" But I do get a lot of stuff like free limo rides, laptops, dresses and exotic vacations even though I don't ask for them which means….." She protested when Horita said " which is exactly why you're getting all these things Haruhi. It's not because you ask for them…. It's because you don't give a damn about such things. If you had ever shown the slightest inclination towards these things the boys wouldn't have become friends with you and Kyouya sama wouldn't have even glanced in your direction." He said.

Haruhi slowly understood Horita's words. She remembered the first incident with princess Ayanokoji. The boys kicked her out of the club just because the princess had bullied her. They had supported her even though she was new to the club and a commoner at that. The hosts became friends with her, followed her everywhere she went, took time just to pester her and constantly involved themselves in her life even though there were hundreds of girls who would do anything to get their attention. It was not because they thought the commoner stuff was new and interesting or that her commoner ways were amusing, it was because they found her worthy enough to be friends with her.

She smiled at the thought and Horita was indeed glad to see her smile.

"The world isn't filled with rich people or poor people. It's filled with deserving people and scumbags. You belong to the former category Haruhi; therefore, you should be proud of yourself. Moreover, if you're getting free limo rides and free dresses and of course, great food, you should accept them with pride for you're getting them because you deserve them not because you're a scumbag who leeches things off people. If ever one of these scumbag looks down upon you…. You've to stand tall and show them what you're made of and how different you're from them!" He said.

Haruhi nodded happily. All her bitter feelings had vanished without trace she was about to thank him when he announced, "we have arrived"

He got out of the limo to open the door for her. He didn't usually do this, as Haruhi would always open the door herself. However, since they were at the venue of the party and she was Kyouya's guest proper manners were to be followed. The moment he opened the door, Haruhi leapt at him and enveloped him in a grateful hug. He couldn't help but smile at the gesture and patted her hair. "No matter where you are and who you are with, you're still the same Haruhi. No wonder the boys swarm around you like flies around a lamp"

She chuckled at the comparison and pulled back from the hug "Thanks a lot Horita-san. I feel a lot better now!" She said.

"Don't mention it. Although I must admit I take advantage of people's affection to get gastronomic satisfaction as well but my favourite food is Tsukiyaki!" He joked and she laughed with him without any inhibitions.

Unknown to them by a pair of elderly couple observed (or rather spied) them from a distance. The couple had amused expression on their faces. "Since when did the Ootori bodyguard get all mushy and sentimental. Aren't they supposed to be the embodiment of the expression 'stick up his ass'?" The man whispered to his wife. His wife swatted his arm playfully that he had casually placed on her shoulder. She rolled her eyes at his mock hurt expression and replied.  
>"The change may be due to the little girl there. She's lovely isn't she? I wonder who she is?" She replied with yearning tinting her tone. They were married for a long time that the man could understand his wife's unspoken words. He himself couldn't help but wonder if their granddaughter would be as lovely as the young girl standing there next to the Ootori bodyguard is. 'I'm over thinking this. For all I know, she may not be alive' he thought sadly and decided to put an end to his wife's hope of seeing their granddaughter as usual.<p>

"Well, judging by the fact that she came here in the Ootori limo and her un-Ootori like gesture…. She must be a daughter of a friend of the Ootoris!" He said and noted the soft sigh of his wife. The woman forced herself to smile and said, "Well, a friend of the Ootori? That sounded like an oxymoron!" She said throwing her husband a dirty look.

"The actual term should be the benefactor of the Ootoris. Happy?" He asked his wife returning the same look.

"Benefactor to the Ootoris, you mean there are others like you? Sheesh…here I thought you were the only black sheep in this society!" She said sarcastically.

He chuckled at the accusation and replied playfully "well, at least Yoshio has a better perception of me. He would consider me the guardian angel of his business"

"Guardian angel…..Is that the metaphor for guard dog now?" She asked him equally playful.

He was about to counter his wife's remark when he saw Kyouya walking toward his bodyguard and the mysterious girl with a pleasant smile on his face. He pulled his wife behind a nearby tree in order to avoid being spotted by Kyouya.

"Why are we hiding? Didn't you just declare your allegiance to those bunch moments ago?"

"Shhhh….." He tried to hush his wife. However, she ignored and carried on.

"So shouldn't you be there falling at their feet and worshipping them instead of hiding behind a tree" she said.

He threw his wife a dirty look and said in a barely there whisper, " well spying for a fox is much easier than spying on the fox besides Ootoris are the type of people who would never fall for flattery."

Just to annoy his wife he added, "otherwise I would have done that years ago" and he got a nudge in his ribs as a response.

"I can't believe that you would stoop so low. Oh god, I can't believe I married such a lowly scum. I must have been blind!" She said in a mock exasperation.

"Neither can I believe I married a righteousness obsessed shrew. I must have been insane in my youth!" He mocked as well.

Unfortunately, for the couple, Kyouya had noticed them and deliberately glanced in their direction with one eyebrow raised clearly passing the intended message 'it would be good for you to leave now'.

When the man behind the tree caught Kyouya's warning look he immediately straightened up and pulled his wife closer to him. His face held an affronted expression as if saying that Kyouya was the one who intruded on their alone time. He slowly led his wife to the entrance of the grand hall, his attention completely focused on his wife and his gait speaking of poise and classiness. His wife chuckled at this and said "maybe I should invite that 'miniature Yoshio' to our home someday. You certainly pay me more attention when he's around"

He smiled at her remark and said, "be careful of what you wish for. My complete attention can be taxing, dear"

When he was sure that the snooping couple had entered the building, he went towards Haruhi who was laughing at something Horita said. 'Tachibana was right, Horita is having fun. Lucky guy' he thought enviously as

At the sound of footsteps, she turned around only to see Kyouya walking towards them

"You seem awfully happy for someone entering the demon's lair!" Kyouya chided playfully as he reached them.

"Just so you know… I am working for the evil lord himself therefore this should be not be much of threat!" She replied to the playful banter.

"That should be the attitude, Haruhi. After all what could be worse than working for Kyouya sempai?" Said a voice from her right side.

"Don't you agree with us Horita-san?" Said another voice from her left side and the next moment two hands snaked themselves on her shoulders.

"I have worked for the evil lord for a very long time to be lured into a trap set by the devils!" He said as he winked and Haruhi giggled.

The evil lord of the discussion was standing there indifferent to all remarks about his usual 'evil ways'. Or he seemed indifferent on the outside. The truth was he was looking at Haruhi discreetly. She looked beautiful in the knee-length, empire waist and one-shoulder dress that the twins had picked for her. The waistline was enhanced with a black slanting and tapering belt and the one shoulder had a twisted knot on it. The dress complimented her petite frame and enhanced her physique to give her a more defined feminine look. He noticed that she had absolutely no makeup whatsoever though her hair looked slightly tousled in appearance and much to his astonishment he noticed that her hair had grown. It now fell at her shoulder blades and he realised that she must have let it grow once her gender was revealed. She looked sophisticated and distinctive.

'Not the inconspicuous look that I had asked the twins to go for. If anything it makes her more distinguished." Even though he was pleased with her appearance, he was worried as hell about what it might cause her.

The twins turned their heads to look at Kyouya, as he was strangely silent and absent from though conversation. Usually he would give them his trademark subtle threat to silence them. However when the turned to look at him, they caught his death glare and instinctively understood the reason behind his wrath. They chimed their excuse together " sorry sempai, we had already made this dress for her the moment we had heard about the party and we weren't exactly pleased with the camouflage of a theme that you gave us in the last moment."

"In case you haven't understood the situation, she's not here to be the highlight of the party. She's here to escape it. She shouldn't look like a stunning diva off the ramp, she should like an insignificant nobody" he coldly countered the twins. Even though his voice was calm, his eyes were raging. The twins would have been scared out of their mind if they hadn't been busy feeling ashamed and guilty. They had forgotten the reason for Kyouya's request and acted idiotically.

Haruhi was confused between what to feel. She fluctuated between happiness (the pleasant sensation in her chest at Kyouya's off-hand compliment), pity (at the predicament of the twins) and contemplation (if the twins would survive Kyouya's wrath or not).

Deciding to save the twins, she grabbed Kyouya's arm "It's alright Kyouya. Don't worry I'll be fine. No matter how well I'm hidden or how well I can blend in…I'm sure Suoh san will find me eventually. So, I might as well make a grand entrance for what it is worth. Besides, being blatant and brazen is what I am good at…. ne Kyouya" she asked immediately soothing his anger and getting him to calm down.

Kyouya's phone rang at the time and he pulled out his cell to see 'Aijima'' flash on the screen. He excused himself and went a little bit farther away from the group in order to be out of their hearing range.

"Wow that was close…" Hikaru said as let out a deep sigh.

"He would have fried us for sure this time!" Kaoru added as an afterthought.

"But, I think you did a great job, Hika-chan, Kao-chan. Haru-chan looks soooo cuuuuuuuuuute in this dress, Ne Takashi?" Hunny said as he took Haruhi's hand and twirled her around.

"Yes…. She does" came Mori's baritone.

Haruhi abruptly halted when she heard Mori's voice. She looked at him with her large perceptive eyes and Mori felt like a guilty criminal that was being scrutinised before passing the judgement.

"What's wrong Mori sempai?" She asked

"Nothing is wrong…. Haruhi. I am…. Alright!" He said and Haruhi knew for sure this that there was definitely something wrong with her tall sempai. Even though he was a silent guy, his thoughts and his intentions were always definite and crystal clear which reflected in his speech pattern which was short and to the point without any hesitation or uncertainty. However today he paused in his speech with hesitation and to top it all the 'I am alright 'part of his sentence seemed like a justification of some sort. So, Haruhi carried on with her scrutiny of Mori with greater precision.

Hunny was enjoying the scene to a greater extent. He knew that his usually impassive cousin was literally sweating under Haruhi's gaze and was desperately trying to keep his cool. He turned around to hide his giggles and noted the imposing figure of the one woman he respected and feared. It seemed she was walking towards them. He immediately sobered up and was about to greet her when Haruhi squealed

"Aha…. I found it. There's something wrong with your leg!" She said. Due to his nervousness, Mori shifted slightly and a small expression of displeasure twisted his face as a sharp pain shot through his leg and this did not escape Haruhi's perceptive eyes. She asked, "what's wrong with your leg sempai? Is it injured?"

After hearing Haruhi's exclamation, the woman decided to stay back and observe the new girl for a while.

"It's nothing!" Mori stuck to his same rote. However, Hunny wailed so that Haruhi's attention was on him now and Hunny used this opportunity to hug her. Frankly, he missed hugging her and twirling her for the past few weeks.

"It's all my fault Haru chan….." He wailed so loudly that Haruhi had to pat him on the back to calm him down.

The woman smiled at Mitsukuni's act. She always knew that he put up the childish persona to get attention, which he lacked in childhood being the heir to a martial arts family. 'It seems that the girl is more like a mother figure for him' she thought.

"I ran out of the limo when I saw a delicious looking cake shop on the way and Takashi tried to stop me and he slipped and twisted his ankle"

Haruhi didn't understand. There was no way the Mori sempai she knew would have slipped unless….

"Was the limo in motion when you got out of it?" She asked and as a reply, she got the signature Hunny look, which meant 'I am innocent even though I am guilty'

"seriously Hunny sempai…when are you going to learn?...You can do whatever you like but not at the risk of your life or for that matter that Mori sempai's" she chided him like a teacher reprimanding a naughty child caught in the act of mischief. Hunny didn't mind one bit though. In fact, he enjoyed it a lot. For once, someone treated him like a normal person and not as the invincible Haninozuka heir who was responsible for his actions. He always thought that Haruhi was the one thing missing in their lives. Sure Tamaki, was the one who brought them all together, but they still acted like different entities. But it was Haruhi who bound all of them together and fro that he was glad.

"You could have hurt yourself when you jumped out of a limo in motion no matter how much of an expert in martial arts you're, sempai" she said slowly patting his back.

At this he broke his embrace and rubbed his eyes and muttered, "I'm so sorry Haru-chan"

"It's okay sempai….As long as you don't repeat that stunt again and besides the one you have to apologise to is Mori sempai" she said.

"I'm sorry Takashi!" He said turning to Mori. Mori just ruffled Hunny's hair, which meant 'its fine'. Their relationship was one based on a deeper level of understanding, so they never needed a sorry or thank you, however they obliged Haruhi.

Haruhi turned to Horita and said "Horita san, can I borrow the emergency first aid that you have in your limo."

Horita nodded and went to retrieve it. Haruhi then dragged Mori to a fanciful fountain nearby and made him sit on one of the large stones placed there as decoration and forcefully stretched his right leg which seemed to be the injured one.

The woman who was observing them from a distance smiled. She had watched Mitsukuni and Takashi from their childhood and knew that the boys had to give up their childhood to learn martial arts. They took care of themselves and acted invincible in spite of the injuries and pain they went through while training. There was no one to care for them as it was considered a handicap for martial artists. She was glad to see that they found someone who took care of them out of genuine concern and not as an attempt to earn their favours.

Horita brought the kit and gave it to Haruhi. Haruhi accepted it and started tending to Mori's injured ankle.

"Seriously sempai…you're as bad as Hunny sempai. You cannot attend a party with an injured leg. I can't believe that you came here without tending to your injury" she reprimanded him

"You're in danger!" he said as an explanation.

Haruhi sighed, as she understood why Mori was intent on being here. She stabbed his chest with a finger "When are you going to worry about yourself first. All you do is worry about Hunny sempai and make sure nothing happens to him and if that didn't take out all the 24 hours of a day you use up the remaining time to worry about us. Seriously sempai…when you're going to learn this"

Mori smiled at the concerned look on Haruhi's face, lifted her chin, and said, "as soon as you practice what you preach" and at her slightly confused expression he added "here you are being lured into the lion's den and all you do is worry about my injury"

Haruhi looked flustered at this but smiled her genuine smile and started bandaging Mori's leg silently.

"I see… You have noticed his injury, " came Kyouya's voice. He rejoined them as soon as he finished the call. At the sight of the youngest Ootori, the woman who was watching the group of friends from afar immediately left the vicinity.

Haruhi was done with bandaging Mori's wounds and stood up. When she looked at Kyouya's face, she sensed something was wrong.

"What's the matter Kyouya?" She asked.

"Some complications cropped up Haruhi. I need to go away for a while… at least for some two hours" Haruhi's bright expression dulled instantly after hearing this and the twins protested " what could be more important than keeping Haruhi safe."

"Here I thought you had changed and took care of Haruhi but all you were worried about is losing a good secretary. I can't believe you still put your business over her… you're still…" Hikaru shouted at him.

Haruhi cut across Hikaru's yell and said "it's fine. I know it must be something important. I'll be safe. I have Hikaru, Kaoru and Hunny sempai here to keep me safe, so don't worry Kyouya!" When Mori found that his name was not mentioned he opened his mouth to say something but Haruhi had already turned to look at him and said with her hands on her hip " you're strictly not allowed to follow me everywhere at your condition. If you want to do something then try not to mess up the injury I have worked hard to bandage and sit quietly in one place and keep watch over me from a distance. Do you understand?" She asked. Mori shut his mouth and nodded obediently. The twins and Hunny snickered in spite of the tense atmosphere.

"Haruhi, do you remember grab and dodge." Kyouya asked her. Haruhi smiled at the memory and nodded her head while the others looked at them blankly.

"Well dodge all the people who are irrelevant to you and anyone who looks suspicious and most importantly Tamaki. Grab on to anyone of them who's nearby" He said indicating to the hosts standing behind her. "If all of them are occupied by something or the other which might happen for sure if Shizue san finds out that they're protecting you, then go and stand near the chairman Yuzuru or my father or my brother Akito"

At Haruhi's look which indicated embarrassment and surprise and shyness Kyouya remembered what had happened the last time Haruhi met his father and brother and he added "It's okay. Ootori's have the habit of revering those who stand up to them. So, you'll be fine and safe. I'll be back in two hours!" He said.

Haruhi nodded and started walking slowly with the others to the entrance of the grand hall. She had taken only a few steps, when Kyouya called her. As she turned around to look at him, he said, "If anyone asks you… tell them that you're here accompanying me. That should do the trick"

Haruhi smiled at him and replied cheekily "That's right, no one would dare to mess with the devil's escort" and then resumed her walk sandwiched between the twins while Hunny led the way and Mori followed them.

Kyouya got into the limo in which Haruhi had arrived along with Horita. As they pulled out of the venue… Kyouya's only thought was 'Be safe till I come back Haruhi'

* * *

><p><strong>It took me a lot of time to write this chapter. This is what I finally decided was good enough after many rewrites. I know I promised that in this chapter, Tamaki would confess his feeling and that Haruhi would meet her grandmothers. But when I started writing, it felt as if there was discontinuation between the previous chapter and this one if I jumped directly into the events of the party. So I decided to write in detail about Kyouya and Haruhi's bonding which I thought was essential. Besides I did keep my promise to some extent: Tamaki blurts out that Kyouya is stealing Haruhi from him (which happens to be an almost confession of his feelings) and both her grandmothers did get a glimpse of Haruhi even though she didn't exactly meet them. I have deliberately skipped the part where Shizue meets Haruhi in her apartment in order to convince her to attend the party. It will be told as a flashback in the next chapter. Hope you like this chapter :). Thank you for your reviews and support :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

I thank everyone for reading and reviewing my story, and encouraging me to update it. I know, I hadn't updated this for such a long time. I apologise for that.

I had started writing this story as a sort of hobby and as such, I didn't put much stock in backing up the materials and ideas that I had for the future chapters. Therefore, when my laptop had crashed, I had lost all the materials for the story that I had kept. (I know…my fault). I gave up on writing this story as I lost all the interest without my plotline. Finally, thanks to the encouraging reviews that I got, I decided to start writing again. It was difficult without my ideas and plotline for the story and outline of each chapter. Therefore, I went back, read all the previous chapters, and formed a new plotline. I had to start this chapter from scratch it felt disconnected or hanging in between and finally, after several tries, I was able to write a chapter, which was in harmony with the previous chapters. I hope you like this chapter as much as I do.

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><p><strong>At the party: <strong>

It was the grandest party Haruhi had ever seen in her short life despite having attended similar parties ever since she had joined the host club. All of the host club parties seemed simple and small compared to this. The party was clearly held to flaunt the Suoh wealth. The lighting, the ambiance and the décor completely reflected Tamaki Suoh's princely style: romantic and overbearing. However, what caught her interest was the way the event was organised: it was smooth, functional and proactive.

The entire hall was seamlessly divided into several sections. There was a large, wide, and highly polished stage serving as a beautiful dance floor on the right side of the hall. This stage then narrowed down to a platform as it reached the middle of the hall serving as a podium for the performing orchestra. The classical music, which was slow and rhythmic, blended in with the crowd seamlessly relaxing people, yet at the same time heightening their senses. The back half of the hall was filled with several round tables and chairs. The cutlery and crockery were already set up on these tables. There were a few doors lining the back wall of the hall. Several food service carts were set along the wall now, leaving enough space for people to walk through to reach those doors. Various drinks and different types of foods were all set up on these carts ready to be served. Several beautiful bouquets of flowers were placed on one such cart.

"Tono Alert" Hikaru informed, bringing Haruhi back from her musings.

The next thing she knew was that she was being led to the other end of the room by a hyperactive Hunny sempai. They had been avoiding an equally hyperactive Tamaki who was on their pursuit from the moment they entered the hall.

It was turning out to be even harder to avoid his grandmother who for some reason seemed intent on striking a conversation with her. Haruhi didn't understand the reason behind this change of attitude when only the previous day Shizue Suoh acted as if talking to her was a crime in itself.

Haruhi checked her watch as she was once again, veered away from trouble. 'It's just 45 minutes! Still and an hour and fifteen minutes to go…' She thought, 'Damn him…..After all that talk about trusting him…. He abandons me at the last moment'

Even though she had accepted the departure of Kyouya at the last moment, her ire started to surface after some time. This change in Shizue Suoh's attitude made her even more apprehensive. She felt lost, nervous, and apprehensive and the lack of reassuring presence of Kyouya by her side only added to her anxiety.

Hunny looked at the ireful expression that adorned his friend's face and a knowing smile bloomed on his face.

"Counting down till Kyo-chan's arrival, han?" He asked.

Haruhi replied distractedly still cursing Kyouya in her mind "Hmmm… yes sempai!" But as soon as the realisation of what she had said hit her, she became flustered "No…what I mean is ….well, I just…" she tried to cover her slip but failed miserably.

Hunny just chuckled and said "don't worry Haru-chan, you'll be safe. This time we're following a real plan and fortunately the one who devised this plan was Kyo-chan himself" and gave her a thumbs up sign.

Haruhi had figured that out within a few minutes into the party. The moment she had entered the hall Hunny had ushered her to a corner of the room and the rest of them had split and started mingling with others.

The twins were on the lookout for Tamaki or Shizue Suoh or for that matter, anyone whom they thought will pose trouble for their beloved toy. Mori took the role of a vigilant sentry from the place where he sat and gave signals to Hunny sempai so that they can move from one safe location to another.

Haruhi just sighed. She knew her nervousness would do no good to her, so she decided to steer her thoughts to happy moments.

"You know sempai, although I am glad that we're following Kyouya's plans….I have to admit I am a huge fan of Tamaki sempai's plans"

Hunny gave her a bewildered look and concern was etched on his cherubic features.

After seeing his expression, Haruhi chuckled and replied "I know Tamaki sempai's plans are complete mishaps…but they are hilarious….you know like the time when you all dressed up as girls"

He was glad that Haruhi knew how to lighten up even in grave situations. He took Haruhi's laughter as a good sign and decided to join her as well "oh I must say I was rather cute in that fluffy pink dress…. But you what was cuter…." He added a wink and gestured her to come closer. When Haruhi bent down to his level, he whispered, "Takashi practically threw a fit when the twins handed him a dress and hid in the changing room, refusing to wear a dress… He came out of his hiding only when he was offered gender appropriate clothing"

Haruhi was clutching her stomach as the images of Mori sempai throwing a tantrum like a child flitted across her mind.

He whispered in a conspiratorial tone "It was even cuter to watch Kyo-chan burn all the photos of him in a dress with vindictive pleasure… but Tama-chan still had one secretly stashed somewhere …"

Haruhi wanted to roll on the floor and laugh, but realising where she was, she resisted that urge. However, she couldn't stifle down her laughter, which made many heads turn in her direction.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the dance floor:<strong>

The party was filled with celebrities, business people and politicians. As such, there were only fake smiles, polite laughers, and of course, diplomatic conversations and Harumi Akiyama was above this fake act. She knew these parties were held to flaunt people's wealth and power and to make new connections, contacts and if all goes well mergers. Only a few here had status or lineage on par with her, so she hardly talked to those below her in status.

It was not because she looked down on such people. It was because most of them turned out to be leeches who wanted to climb the social ladder by feeding her with flattery. She talked only to those who she deemed worthy and she was never budged by fake pleasantries, false praises and flattery. Anyone who had an ounce of self respect always stood out from the crowd in her eyes. People who rose up the ranks through sheer hard work, courage and conviction where the people she cherished the most and among those, were the duo of Haninozuka and Morinozuka.

That's the reason why she took interest in the girl that she saw bandaging Takashi Morinozuka's leg out of genuine care. The girl was quite stunning in spite of her small stature and short hair. Harumi Akiyama deemed the girl beautiful, even though the girl lacked the feminine elegance and grace, which she always appreciated in a lady. Her curiosity doubled when she saw the same girl laughing heartily along with Mitsukuni Haninozuka while his cousin for once was nowhere near him.

"Just look at her, laughing like that with Hunny" Harumi turned to look at a teenage girl nearby who had uttered the words in a spiteful tone. 'It seems that these girls don't like her one bit. I wonder why?' she thought as she listened carefully trying to gather more details about the girl that had intrigued her.

"Not Hunny as well… It's bad enough already that she has Tamaki-kun running behind her like a puppy" a tall girl beside her added.

"What does he see in her anyway… she lacks feminine beauty." The first girl added

"No wonder she could pose as a boy and work as a host in the host club" another who was quiet until then, added.

"Why did she do that anyway?" The first girl asked her friends.

"The chairman planted her as his spy there in order to convince the parents who were complaining that all that happened in the host club was just harmless flirting, nothing more!" the second girl said in all-knowing tone.

"Why is she Ouran in the first place… a commoner like her should never be allowed to be inside the school let alone be allowed to study there as honour student. It doesn't matter if she has the brains of Einstein and can therefore get a scholarship. It's just morally wrong!" The quiet girl said loudly in a scathing tone.

"Shh…. Don't say such things aloud. Remember what happened to Ayanokoji. The hosts become very sensitive when Haruhi Fujioka is involved. They just turn outrageous when she is insulted or hurt"

Harumi tuned out the remainder of the teenage girls' gossip as soon as she got all the information she needed.

'So she's an honour student, attending Ouran on a scholarship.' Harumi drew out the conclusions that she had gathered from the gossip, in her mind 'She has been a part of the host club posing as a boy. What's with that stupid club anyway? I still don't understand why Mitsukuni and Takashi are a part of it when they don't know what flirting is! Everyone is bound to do something silly in their teenage, I guess. So, these girls don't like her because the hosts are overprotective of her'. Just as she was reviewing the details about the girl that she had gathered when an important detail hit her in the back of her mind '… the hosts become sensitive when Haruhi Fujioka is involved'

"So, her name is Haruhi." She whispered to herself as she recalled an incident from her past

"_**Harumi chan, what's for dinner?" **_

"_**Ryoji, Why can't be more like your older brother and call me Kaa-san for once?" Harumi reprimanded her second child**_

"_**Awww…..Kaa-san is too formal and boring besides, I like the name Harumi a lot. You know what I am going to name my child after you"**_

"_**That's good...at least then you'd have to call me Kaa-san since you can't address both me and your daughter as Harumi- chan" she replied secretly smiling at her son's dramatics.**_

"_**Good point... Since I don't plan on calling you Kaa-san ever...I think I have to name my child something different, but at the same time quite similar to Harumi...How about Haruhi? Does that sound good? " He said, contemplating the issue at hand quite seriously.**_

"_**...You're just fifteen now and have not even completed your education...Yet you're already thinking of names for your child...I don't know what am I ever going to do with you"**_

"_**Awww... Come on... You're the one who told me to think ahead in life, " he replied cheekily and ran out of room to escape his mother's ire.**_

She just looked at the girl wistfully as her mind was brimming with a hope that she had to quell for almost 15 years of her life. 'So what if her name is Haruhi. For all I know she could be just any girl living happily with her parents and maybe her grandparents. It's useless to get my hopes up only for them to be crushed again after all these years. She's just a talented and brave girl who is from a middle class family' Harumi reasoned with her throbbing heart with great difficulty

* * *

><p><strong>In a corner opposite to the dance floor: <strong>

The Igarashi couple were always the centre of attention at any party. It was because they saw each other eye to eye in everything they did. They always agreed to disagree on everything they did. Their bickering and sarcastic jibes at each other and their professions always turned out to be a source of entertainment for others. Moreover, the couple somehow remained young at heart so much so that they behaved like teenagers having a crush more rather than an old married couple and as such, they were surrounded by spectators all the time who were looking for entertainment. However, the crowd that surrounded them also did so in order to associate themselves with the Igarashis because both Mr and Mrs Igarashi were influential people in their own right. Ryuu Igarashi was and is one of the top-notch corporate lawyers and he is better known as the mentor and advisor of Yoshio Ootori. Kazumi Igarashi is well known for her righteousness. She was an excellent civil lawyer who fought for justice and had handled many cases without any fees in order to get justice for the poor and downtrodden.

Thus, Yoshio Ootori was surprised to see the couple standing huddled in a corner, away from the spotlight having an intense conversation. It seemed they were discussing about something or someone and Yoshio looked as to where their line of vision was and was once again pleasantly surprised. He chuckled slightly as he saw that the couple were completely focussed on the petite girl laughing along with Haninozuka heir. Although he had promised Ryoji not to reveal his secret, he couldn't help but mess with the Igarashi couple a little. He went and stood near them and cleared his throat to get their attention. The startled couple whirled around to find the smirking face of the Ootori patriarch.

"God, you scared me Yoshio! Do you always have to be so sneaky" Kazumi Igarshi exclaimed.

"I don't think he can change that sweetheart, comes with the territory of being an Ootori" her husband supplied.

"It's nice to meet you too" Yoshio replied and chuckled. The Igarashi couple were unique in that way because he never once received a formal greeting and pleasantry. It always seemed like they were picking up a previous conversation after a slight interruption.

"Might I inquire as to what has caught your undivided attention so much so that you didn't realise my presence and accused me of being sneaky?" He asked.

"Oh... The petite girl with Haninozuka heir, who is she?"

"She's Haruhi Fujioka." Yoshio said simply.

"Fujioka... I have never heard the name!" Ryuu said deep in thought "yeah, I am sure... I have never heard the name before"

"Really?" His wife asked him and at his nod, she turned to Yoshio "who's her father?"

"He's a commoner who works as an okama" he smirked when he heard the surprised gasps from the couple.

"If I didn't know you any better, I would think you're joking! How come she's friends with the Haninozuka heir?"

"And how come Kyouya's associating himself with her" Kazumi added, remembering the scene from earlier.

When Yoshio quirked his eyebrows in question, Ryuu explained, "we saw her earlier chatting with Kyouya's bodyguard Horita."

"Well, she's quite close to all the self proclaimed hosts and they consider her as a friend." Yoshio said

"Including Kyouya? I certainly didn't think I would live to see the day when Kyouya would befriend a girl." Ryuu added jokingly. It was no secret that the couple had a soft spot for Kyouya. He didn't know exactly why the couple took to Kyouya like a moth to a flame, but if he had to guess, he would say that they wanted Kyouya to be the replacement for the grandchild that they had but were not able to see.

'And to think their real grandchild has their interests hooked' he thought.

"Especially Kyouya; they are good friends not to mention Kyouya has hired her as his secretary" he said.

The couple knew everything and anything that concerned Kyouya. They even knew about his recent venture into business by himself. However, Kyouya being friends with a girl and trusting her enough to make her his secretary was something that came as a surprise to them and all Kazumi could think about when she heard this revelation was 'she must be a really special person'

As she turned to get a better look at the girl, she saw Shizue Suoh walking towards the girl with her condescending smile. 'This doesn't bode well' with that thought in her mind she started walking towards the girl. Ryuu just followed her immediately.

'That's odd! Where's Kyouya? It's isn't like him to not be here when the girl is in a precarious situation' Yoshio thought as he followed the couple.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the dance floor:<strong>

As she was laughing with Hunny sempai, she failed to notice the looming figure of Shizue Suoh nearby.

"If it isn't the commoner, herself" Shizue Suoh announced so loudly that everyone in the vicinity could hear her.

Haruhi immediately realised the motive behind Suoh matriarch popping up all of a sudden to chat with her, which was to humiliate her mercilessly in front of everyone, and of course Tamaki sempai. Fear hit her like thunder and lighting. Haruhi was sure that Tamaki would do anything to stop her humiliation, even if that meant he had to obey his grandmother's order without question. Her throat felt constricted and her heart raced faster, but Horita's words from earlier flashed through her mind.

'_The world isn't filled with rich people or poor people. It's filled with deserving people and scumbags.… If ever one of these scumbag looks down upon you…. You've to stand tall and show them what you're made of and how different you're from them!_'

She gathered her courage from these words. Hunny who realised it was too late to escape now, caught Haruhi's wrist in a strong grip and held his ground, his martial arts instincts kicking in.

He gave a slight bow to the lady and used it as cover to scan his vicinity to evaluate as to what should be his next action. He could see the Igarashi couple and Yoshio Ootori coming from his right. On his left, there was the Akiyama matriarch. He could see the twins' mother ahead of them listening to the conversation and pretending as if she didn't.

Haruhi following Hunny's action gave a formal bow to the imposing lady and tried to calm herself as she replied, "It's nice to meet you as well, Suoh-San"

However, all her composure went down the drain, when he saw the enthusiastic figure of Tamaki rushing toward with his arms wide-open ready to pull her into a hug. Hunny intercepted Tamaki and shook hands with him joyously.

"It's a nice party Tama-chan!" He said out loud still shaking hands with him.

Tamaki was thoroughly disappointed and upset that he couldn't greet Haruhi. However, his disappointment turned to anguish when he heard Haruhi's greeting.

"Thanks for inviting me to the party Suoh-sempai"

He stood rooted to the spot, stock still, not moving a muscle. Haruhi had never addressed him as anything other than Tamaki-sempai right from the first moment they met.

"Yes, Suoh's are always gracious. Gracious enough to let even a commoner into the prestigious Ouran Academy and also gracious enough to invite the said commoner to this grand party" she said in an unnecessarily loud tone.

Haruhi felt Hunny's grip tighten on her wrist. She knew that the people in their immediate vicinity would be able to hear Shizue Suoh said without her having to raise her voice.

She looked straight into the taunting eyes of the elderly woman and gave her a saccharine sweet smile

"And of course gracious enough to lower yourself to chat with this commoner and not mention most humble and modest as well"

Kazumi Igarashi was sporting a large smile as she realised that the petite girl could stand her ground. However, it didn't mean she was going to stand by idly. 'If I am here, then I might as well do some damage control.' She thought

"If you're attending Ouran Academy in spite of your financial situation, then you, young lady, are certainly a courageous one. This goes to show that it isn't money that takes one where they want to go... It's rather courage." Kazumi declared and of course, everyone in the vicinity nodded. If everyone in the party something for certain, then it was that, the Igarashi's were always politically correct. Therefore, they all unanimously nodded their heads in agreement.

Tamaki, on the other hand, wasn't nodding his head just blindly. He was agreeing with every word Kazumi Igarashi had uttered. He used to think that his life was difficult and tried to escape it with his antics. Only when he saw Haruhi, he realised that escaping reality was easy. Living it was difficult. Haruhi was indeed living her life with courage, and that's what he liked about her so much. What he didn't understand was why his grandmother was ill-treating Haruhi when she was the one who said that he should invite Haruhi to party. 'Did she say that just so she can humiliate Haruhi? But why?' he pondered.

Shizue gave a very demeaning look to Kazumi and said, "Yes she's bold. But I guess one has to be bold to face the world after having an okama for a father."

Everyone surrounding them gasped and began whispering among themselves. Satisfied with the crowd's reaction Shizue continued her mission.

"Poor child... I guess you really can't pick your family, otherwise you'd have a man for your father"

Tamaki for the first time felt fear gripping his heart. He didn't want Haruhi to go through this, but he didn't know how to end it. 'If only Kyouya was here... I could have asked him to keep Haruhi safe. He would have pulled her right out of this mess. Where is he when you need him? why did he allow Haruhi to come today when only yesterday he said that they had a business meeting to attend to?' he thought. As the thought flashed through his mind, he realised how helpless he was if Kyouya wasn't around to fix sticky situations and he cursed his inability rescue Haruhi as he couldn't go against his grandmother nor could he stand up for Haruhi in public. However, he felt slightly relieved hearing Haruhi's reply.

"Just because my father's an okama, it doesn't mean he's any less a man. In fact, it shows that he also knows how to behave like a real lady. I am sure he would love to extend his professional help to you in return for your generosity in accepting me into Ouran academy"

Ryuu ruffled Haruhi's hair affectionately as he chuckled at her remark. Kazumi swatted his arm away and hand-combed Haruhi's hair so it was all neat and sleek again.

"My god...you have a great sense of humour. It's hard to see young ones nowadays with such a sense of humour and wit," she said as she addressed the crowd in general, "taking only the positive aspects even out of negative circumstances!" The crowd just nodded their heads and murmured things like 'that's right', 'indeed' and 'of course'

She turned to Haruhi and said, "I'm sure your father would be so very proud of you."

Suoh matriarch realised that she wouldn't be able to do anything to the girl let alone humiliate her with Kazumi Igarashi's interference.

Just watching the action of Igarashi couple made her realise it was a lost game. If they had decided to interfere, then she didn't have a chance. The crowd had already swayed in favour of the girl thanks to the Igarashis. 'I cannot push it anymore, the wise thing to do is to retreat now and wait for the right opportunity.' she thought

Shizue Suoh laughed her delicate lady like laugh and said "Yuzuru always said you were a highly talented student and I must say I didn't believe him at first. So I wanted to test you a little and I admit you're indeed worthy of attending Ouran"

She turned towards Tamaki and said, "come on...Tamaki" and with that she moved away from the spot with Tamaki following her closely.

As soon as Shizue Suoh moved, everyone dispersed whispering among themselves. The Igarashi couple turned around to talk to the girl only to find her gone. They scanned around the room only to find her huddled in a faraway corner with the Hitachiin twins and Haninozuka and Morinozuka boys. They all seemed to be in a heated conversation.

"She has good friends, so you don't have to worry about her." Ryuu said to his wife and she could only sigh in reply. She didn't know why, but she was beginning to care for the girl, even though she was a complete stranger

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><p><strong>Near the Orchestra:<strong>

Tamaki's heart and mind were in an uproar. He looked all around him, to see if the people were still talking about Haruhi. To his surprise, he found that the people, who were earlier going around establishing potential connections, had immersed themselves in the mood of party. The party was in full swing. Now waiters bearing drinks had arrived and were going around the entire hall, serving people. Some of them had already settled down on the round tables in the back of the hall and were chatting over dinner. Others, who were currently socialising over drinks, also seemed to head towards the dining area gradually. People of his age, seemed to have taken to dancing on the dance floor. It seemed that no one had looked at the entire scenario, which had just occurred moments ago, as anything other than a little bit of entertainment. It seemed that such sort of drama was quite common in such parties and they were what kept the people entertained.

'Was it some sort entertainment for grandmother too' he thought. He couldn't fathom why his grandmother would ask him to invite Haruhi to the party and then try to humiliate her in front of everyone. 'Or is it that she wanted Haruhi to attend the party only so she could, humiliate her in public. But what I don't understand is why, I mean…What did Haruhi ever do to her?' he thought. His gaze lingered on his friends who were all involved in a heated discussion in a corner. He could clearly see that Kyouya was nowhere to be found.

'Of course, he must have gone to attend his important meeting. However, why the hell, did he allow Haruhi to come when only yesterday he was adamant about not letting her attend the party? If only he had taken Haruhi with him to the meeting, then she wouldn't have had face such a hard time' he thought. He looked at his grandmother who was walking a few steps ahead of him. She looked serene and unperturbed. She had the same expression on her face when she had asked him to invite Haruhi to the party.

He sighed 'well, I cannot blame him, when it was entirely my fault for inviting her to the party in the first place, without even realising my grandmother's true intentions. Heck, why am I like this, why couldn't I figure out that she had some hidden agenda. For the life of me, I cannot figure out her reason for her targeting Haruhi like this.'

'I have to apologise to her, or at least let her know that I didn't mean any of this to happen and that I'm sorry. Oh I know…I'll send her a note now or something to tell her that I'm sorry' he perked up as the idea popped into his head. He signalled a waiter who was carrying drinks. As soon as the guy approached him, he leaned in closer and whispered his plan to the waiter.

Shizue Suoh who was a few feet away from her grandson, talking to a couple of guests, was getting desperate. She thought everything would go according to her plan when she noted that Kyouya Ootori had heeded her warning and refrained from attending the party. However, she didn't realise that the other hosts would be equally devoted to the girl and as such would hinder her plans. It was difficult enough to corner the commoner as she was flitting across the room from one spot to another with the aid of her friends. She did manage to corner the girl only to have the Igarashis butt in. 'and the nerve of the girl to speak to me in such a manner, ungrateful brat.' She thought. She had intended to humiliate the girl in front of everyone and especially in front of Tamaki to give him a sample of what would happen to the girl if he didn't comply with her wishes. However, that plan had flopped before it had started. 'Damn Igarashis always poking their noses where they don't belong. I never liked the woman at all. Well, then desperate time needs desperate measures' she thought. She had been prepared for such contingencies and now all she had to do was implement one of her back up plans.

She glanced at her grandson, only to see him cheerfully conspiring with the waiter. The caterers and waiters and of course, securities in this party were planted by her. They were paid a lot more than they would usually be paid to do whatever it was she would order them to do and she intend to make full use of this.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the dinner tables at the back of the hall:<strong>

Haruhi let out a sigh of relief the moment Shizue Suoh moved away. Hunny was actually blaming himself for that encounter with Suoh matriarch. "I'm sorry, Haru-chan. I should have known that this was going to happen. I was too careless!" He said as pulled her away to a corner.

"Don't blame yourself, sempai. In fact, I'm glad that the confrontation is over; it was inevitable given the persistence of the lady who was in pursuit of us. Moreover, I'm glad that you were with me when she caught up with us. Your presence beside me gave me the courage." She replied, genuinely.

Soon the twins and Mori sempai crowded around her.

"Are you alright Haruhi?" The twins asked frantically.

"I'm alright guys. I'm fine, really!" she replied, trying to reassure them.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see the face of Mori sempai "you were brave out there" he said.

Haruhi smiled in reply.

"Oh man…. Tono's grandmother is something else!" Hikaru said

"Yeah… I can't believe he is even related to her. They're poles apart!" Kaoru added

"I can see some similarities between Tamaki sempai and his grandmother." Haruhi said

"What? No way! Tamaki sempai is the idiot king…" Hikaru said

"And his grandmother is an evil old hag… No similarity whatsoever" Kaoru concluded.

"Be that as it may…. Have you noticed that they are both highly persistent?" she said.

"Now that you mention it….." Hikaru said as he pondered over Haruhi's statement.

A strange silence fell among them, each one lost in their thoughts. Kaoru looked at Haruhi, to see her with a far way look in her eyes. Although, she had put on a bold front for them, he could tell that she was shaken from the ordeal. She was not smiling as she used to and her posture was highly tensed. He couldn't help but sympathise with her. 'It's not just her. Everyone is tensed! Hikaru is stressed, Mori sempai seems calm, but I can tell he's highly alert. Hunny sempai's in his martial arts mode. In fact, the entire atmosphere seems morose' he thought. He looked around to see others who were at the party. Kaoru decided to do something about the moroseness that hung over them like a dark cloud. 'This is a party, it shouldn't feel like a funeral and most importantly Haruhi needs to be her usual self in order to survive the party' he thought.

He flung a hand over her shoulder and said "Relax Haruhi…You don't look good when you're worked up…. Leave the worrying part to us. Besides, it's not just us who are here to support you." He said as he gestured towards the Igarashi couple who were engaged in a conversation with Yoshio Ootori.

"Do you know who they are?" she asked. She knew that if the lady and her husband weren't present at that moment she would have been humiliated thoroughly. The lady had flipped the entire situation upside down, so much so that Shizue Suoh had to back down.

"You mean you don't know?" Hikaru asked with a bewildered tone.

"Hika-chan, have you forgotten that this is the first time Haru-chan has attended such a party and therefore this is the first time she has seen them" Hunny chirped. He indeed felt grateful as well for the Igarashi couple. He knew about their tendencies to aid people whenever they're in need, but this was the first time he saw it.

"They are the Igarashi couple: Kazumi Igarashi and Ryuu Igarashi" Mori replied.

She remembered the name from the tale that Kyouya had narrated. "They are really kind, aren't they? They came to my rescue when they didn't even know who I was!" she said.

"Yep, they are always like that…. Ne Haru-chan, do you want to know something?" Hunny said it as if he was about to reveal a big secret.

"What's it sempai?" she asked him in an almost whisper, indulging in his antics.

"They are both lawyers!" He said deliberately, as he watched Haruhi's eyes widen at the new piece of information.

"What? You're joking right?" She looked at Mori for any sign that Hunny was joking.

"They are both lawyers" Mori just echoed Hunny's earlier statement.

"But they are rich like you aren't they? They have to be rich if they are here… I mean I know that law is a lucrative profession…. But I didn't know people could become this umm… rich" Haruhi blurted out. To her surprise and dismay, everyone laughed out aloud.

"Oh, you're so naïve Haruhi….." Hikaru said in a patronising tone.

Haruhi just scoffed. Kaoru bopped his brother's head for the remark.

"They are not just lawyers, Haruhi. They are the lawyers!" Kaoru said.

"What do you mean?" Haruhi asked, getting eager by the second.

"Well, Mr. Igarashi works for Kyo-chan's father and only for him" Hunny said

"What?" Haruhi exclaimed. She didn't know if she should be surprised or not. She turned to look at the couple and sure enough, they were engaged in a conversation with the Ootori patriarch.

"Yep… Ryuu Igarashi is the infamous mentor of Yoshio Ootori as well his right hand man. He is the best corporate lawyer there is and is acclaimed to be a genius. " Hikaru said

"And Kazumi Igarashi is a civil lawyer with an unbeatable track record. She has won all the cases that she has ever taken." Mori added.

"No wonder she could completely flip the entire situation" Haruhi said to herself. The only lawyer Haruhi knew was her mother. Her mother herself was a talented civil lawyer. However, she had never imagined that lawyers could ever become that powerful or influential. Her gratitude for the couple morphed into admiration as she heard more about them. She was lost so deep in thought that she didn't notice the twins putting their arms around her shoulders, "So what's the plan, now?" they chimed in unison.

"We'll stick together as a group. Now that Tamaki's grandmother has done what she intended to do and failed miserably at that" Hunny said and the others chuckled at that "she'll not bother us for a while. So I think it's better for us to stay together" everyone nodded their consent.

One of the waiters approached and asked, "Would you like to have something to drink?" He held a platter on his outstretched hand.

There were a couple of flute glasses on the platter, containing a variety of mock tails and a bunch of red roses tied together with a purple ribbon was placed next to the glasses. Kaoru was the first one to take a flute as he commented, "Might as well have something to ease the tension!"

The rest of the hosts followed his move and took their own choice of juice. However, when Haruhi extended her hand to pick up one, the waiter casually blocked it. He picked a red coloured juice from the entire collection and handed it to her along with the small bouquet of roses. "Young master Suoh's special treat for the young lady."

She accepted both the drink and the bouquet gratefully. She lifted the glass to her lips and slowly sipped the drink as her mind roamed free only to linger on to Kyouya, his absence, his presence and the new level of trust they had established the day before and this weird feeling that he caused in her. Unbidden the memories from the day before flashed through her mind:

"_**Well then I'll trust you completely, irrevocably and blindly, partner." She said extending her hand for a handshake. Kyouya took her hand shook it lightly and said, "It's a deal then" **_

_**Just at that moment, his cell phone rang and Haruhi saw his glasses flash indicating that he was up to something. However, before she could dwell on it, the doorbell rang. When she moved toward the door, Kyouya grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. He leaned down to whisper in her ear "I'll get it." As he pulled back, his lips had grazed her cheek, Haruhi flushed beet red at that slight contact, and she began mentally admonishing herself for blushing.**_

_**As if nothing had happened, Kyouya went and opened the door.**_

"_**Why I didn't expect you to be here, Ootori-kun" a sarcastic drawl came from outside. Haruhi couldn't see the person as Kyouya's tall form was obscuring the new comer. However, Haruhi could recognise Shizue Suoh's haughty voice from anywhere.**_

"_**Why I didn't expect you to be here either, Suoh-san" Kyouya replied in an equally sarcastic manner.**_

"_**Well, be it as it may, are you going to stand guard on the doorstep barring my entry or are you going to invite into the house. " Shizue Suoh replied.**_

"_**I thought that you, Suoh-san had the right to barge in anywhere uninvited. But I guess I was wrong. Well, why don't you come in then?" Kyouya said in a matter of fact tone and stepped aside to allow the entry.**_

_**Haruhi saw the deep-set frown and scowl on Shizue Suoh's face as she entered and understood that she hated the presence of Kyouya and the way in which he talked to her.**_

"_**Such a rundown place isn't it, Ootori-kun?" she said, looking around the house and not even sparing a glance at Haruhi. " I thought that the Ootoris were only into the posh, refined and elegant surroundings!" she said finally looking at Haruhi. Something in Shizue's tone alerted Kyouya that she wasn't referring to the house in her comment but rather Haruhi. He glanced at Haruhi and saw that she had caught on to the innuendo as well.**_

_**Shizue Suoh looked at Kyouya and added, imitating his earlier remark "but I guess I was wrong"**_

_**Kyouya replied coolly, "yes, you're indeed Suoh-san because you see, we Ootoris do not go by, the looks or the aesthetic appeal of things; we only go for its value. The higher the value, the more precious it becomes for us"**_

_**Shizue Suoh looked on the verge of losing her temper. Nonetheless, she calmed down and replied, "yes of course and that's why you are friends with Tamaki, after all he's more valuable to you than anyone else seeing as how his father is extending his financial support to you. However, what I don't understand is why you refused the invitation of such a valuable friend."**_

"_**Tamaki is, indeed, a valuable friend for me. However, chairman Yuzuru is a business partner. I never mix business with friendship. I have refused my friend's invitation and I have no intention of accepting it just because the person who offers me financial back up happens to be his father."**_

_**Shizue Suoh was visibly seething with anger and replied, "Well, it is true indeed that the Ootoris are an ungrateful bunch"**_

"_**Every one's entitled to their own opinion, Suoh-san" Kyouya replied coolly with a shrug.**_

"_**Well, I can see that you lack the cordiality to accept the invitation. Does your valuable little friend here lack it as well? It's not every day that a commoner like her is invited to a gala. Shouldn't she be just grateful enough to be invited? and accept it with gratitude? What reason does she have to refuse?"**_

"_**The only reason she needs!" he said simply**_

"_**Which is?" Shizue prompted.**_

"_**Me" he said and casually slipped his arm around Haruhi's shoulder. Haruhi was blushing beet red. She knew that the Suoh matriarch would definitely interpret Kyouya's presence in her house in a different way and Kyouya's answer just now was not helping matters. In fact, it seemed that he deliberately answered in such a way as to fuel Shizue Suoh's suspicions.**_

"_**Well, that's odd, she seems to be dancing to the tunes of an Ootori when she should be befriending a Suoh, seeing as we are the ones providing her the scholarship for her studies. She should have accepted the invitation at the least to show her gratitude. Looks like she is just as ungrateful as you are."**_

"_**The stipulation for her scholarship is that she should hold the top rank in her class consistently. I'm sure it doesn't mention that she has to dance to the whims of anyone be it Suoh or Ootori. Besides, isn't asking Haruhi to befriend the Suohs counterproductive to your true intentions, Suoh-san?"**_

_**As soon as she heard that Shizue knew that the cat was out of the bag and said, putting an end to her pretence, "I already had to deal with a scandal thanks to my wayward son and I'm not about to let that happen again. Tamaki's attachment to your little friend, here" she gestured in Haruhi's direction "is bothersome and yes, I do plan to nip it off at the bud, no matter what!"**_

"_**Wouldn't Haruhi presence in the party cause more problems for you as Tamaki would surely consider her presence there as your acceptance of her?" He asked innocently.**_

"_**I know…. That's a risk. However, he'll also obey my orders if she is….." Then suddenly it dawned on her that she was giving out vital information. She scowled at the youngest Ootori and said "oh…. You're conniving little brat. I almost revealed my plan to you." She turned to look at Haruhi, however, her words were addressed to Kyouya "If you want your friend to continue her studies at Ouran, you better make sure that she will attend the party tomorrow. If I don't see her there, I'll make sure that she doesn't ever set foot in the school ever again. It would be in her best interest to attend the party."**_

_**Having accomplished the purpose of her visit, she turned and walked out. As she reached the door, she added in a booming voice, "and Ootori-kun, it would be better for you to send the girl alone to the party. Your relationship with the commoner will remain a secret if you do not attend the party. I'm sure your father wouldn't appreciate your association with a commoner. Bear that in mind" Having had the last word in, she stepped out the door.**_

_**Haruhi opened her mouth to say that she didn't have a romantic relationship with Kyouya before Shizue Suoh could leave. Kyouya promptly closed her mouth with his hand. She didn't want Kyouya to have any spat with his father again. She dreaded about what will happen if Shizue Suoh said anything to his father.**_

_**She turned to Kyouya, her eyes filled with concern. "Kyouya what were you thinking? Why did you let her believe that we were romantically involved?" **_

_**Kyouya was slightly offended because her tone had a slight hysteric quality to it. 'Does the implication that we're a couple bother her that much?' he thought. Somehow, his ego couldn't digest this fact. Though he didn't voice his opinion, he decided to give her the reason, at least the major reason behind his actions. **_

"_**Listen to me…. Shizue Suoh knows that Tamaki's in lo…. Tamaki's obsessed with you. She might think that his feelings are somewhat reciprocated by you. I wanted her to be sure that you didn't have any feelings towards him and the best way to achieve that was to pretend you were involved with someone else" he supplied casually. Although a part of him desperately wanted that implication to be true and Haruhi's reaction had set that part into frenzy. **_

"_**But it doesn't matter what the reasons were. You shouldn't have implied it at all!" she nearly yelled at him. She seemed quite frustrated. Kyouya's disappointment was spiralling up and almost engulfing him. He schooled his features and looked away from Haruhi. He adjusted his spectacles and the glasses flashed off. **_

_**He took a slightly defensive stance with his hands in his pocket. He replied, genuinely with the composure he could muster, "I apologise. I was thinking about keeping you safe, that I didn't….I didn't realise that what I had implied would bother or offend you. I'm sorry!" **_

"_**Kyouya" Haruhi yelled this time "That's not the point. What I feel... is not the issue here. Imagine what would happen if Shizue-san tells your father about this? He will be beyond mad at you. He slapped you in public just because you were in a silly club. Imagine, what would happen, if he hears that you're involved with a commoner. I don't want you to get in trouble with your father again. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I were the cause of it!" she said, clearly distressed about the situation.**_

_**Kyouya's spirit was soaring again and in an instant all his earlier disappointment and anger vanished without a trace only to be replaced by a lighter feeling 'so, she was ruffled only because she's worried about me' he thought. When Haruhi happened to look at Kyouya all her worries and fears took a back seat for a moment, for she saw the most fetching smirk on his face and involuntarily blushed. She immediately looked at her feet in order to hide her blush from him. Nevertheless, Kyouya caught her action as well as her blush and his smirk turned into a smile. **_

"_**My father wouldn't jump to conclusions like Suoh-san did. Even if she did tell him, he would only believe it if he saw it with his own eyes, analysed it with his own mind and confirmed it with his own heart."**_

"_**Even if he doesn't believe Shizue-san, wouldn't he still consider it a black mark to the Ootori name and I…" **_

_**Kyouya shushed her with a finger to her lips and said, "Don't you remember, it was in this very place that he said that being friends with an Ootori is never a mistake? If he had considered that my association with you would tarnish the Ootori name in a nay manner, he would have put a stop to it immediately. So don't worry about it." His finger lingered a little bit longer on her lips before he straightened up.**_

"_**Are you really sure, Kyouya?" She asked still not completely reassured.**_

"_**I am positive! Besides, ever since I had started my own business… he hasn't once tried to control me. He never questions my actions anymore. He certainly doesn't give me any orders. All he seems to be interested in now is finding out what I'm up to! He tries everything in his resources to find out my plans. Nevertheless, that's where his involvement stops. It's as if, he has suddenly decided to grant me my freedom. Perhaps all these years, what he wanted was for me to take my own stance and when I did, he's given complete and utter freedom." No matter how much he tried, he couldn't keep the elation that he felt out of his voice.**_

Haruhi was pulled back from her thoughts when Hikaru's voice complaining about something speared clearly and sharply into her mind. She had completely zoned out in the middle of the party and was reliving the incident that happened the day before, in her mind. However, recalling how Kyouya's presence felt, made his absence tolerable.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the Orchestra:<strong>

He could see Haruhi standing there in a corner with his friends and looking like a vision in that dress. Her expression on the other hand was gaunt and guarded. It had no trace of the smile and radiance that the 'natural' host was known for in the host club. Just looking at Haruhi like that made his heart ache.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see the face of his father.

"Why, the long face Tamaki?" Yuzuru asked. He could see that his son was in turmoil. His usually bright eyes were stormy and clouded.

"Dad, can I ask you something?" Tamaki asked

Yuzuru just nodded in reply.

"If someone close to us had to suffer because of an unintentional act or decision on our part, what should we do to undo their suffering?" Tamaki asked.

Yuzuru realised who Tamaki was referring to in his question. He also felt nostalgic because he had asked himself the same question a couple of years ago when Tamaki was forced to leave his mother.

"Tamaki, I am sure that we cannot undo anyone's suffering even if it was unintentionally caused by us" Yuzuru stated and Tamaki's hope filled eyes started brimming with guilt after hearing this.

"however, we have the ability to make sure that no one is harmed by our actions or the decisions we make in the future, especially those who are really close to us and whom we value the most"

"How do I do it?" Tamaki asked, hope tingeing his tone once again.

"Well we have to make a promise to ourselves that we will never let our selfishness cloud our judgements and thoughts. Moreover, we have to think through things thoroughly before we say or act, so that our loved ones don't have to suffer the repercussions of our impulsive and whimsical decisions"

Suddenly the words of his father from an earlier incident flashed through his mind 'whims have consequences, Tamaki. Take my word for it, they do not come cheaply for people like us. Accept it! Life is hard. It's time for you to grow up and realise that dreaming only postpones the inevitable'

He nodded in understanding, "Will Haru…. I mean, will the person who had suffered forgive us for our mistake"

Yuzuru smiled and replied, "I'm sure they'll forgive you if they are someone close to you as you say for they would know that you'd never cause them any harm intentionally. But it is your duty to apologise to them"

'Yes, I'll apologise to Haruhi tomorrow, properly and thoroughly. I'll personally visit her and tell her that I'm sorry. I swear I'll never put her in a tight spot like this ever again, no matter what' Tamaki decided. This decision had somewhat dulled the sharp sting of guilt in his heart.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the dinner tables at the back of the hall:<strong>

There was a strange calmness after the incident that had settled over the bunch of friends and it felt like that calm that precedes a storm. They could see Shizue Suoh casually talking to people and nothing in her actions gave away as to what else she might have planned for Haruhi. They weren't foolish enough to assume that after one failed attempt Shizue Suoh would give up. They were at her party and therefore they were in her playground. No one knew what else could creep up on them. Since their resident mastermind was absent due to unavoidable circumstances, they were even more worked up as the minutes ticked by. Kaoru took the role of a peacekeeper trying to maintain a light mood with small jokes here and there and a couple of nice distractions in the form of continuous and funny commentary about various people in the party. Therefore, it shouldn't come across as a surprise if he truly and sincerely wanted to kill his older brother every time the latter opened his mouth to spew tactless thoughts without any sort of filter, just like now.

"How much more time will it take for Kyouya sempai to arrive" Hikaru whined "Something about the entire situation is giving me the creeps"

Kaoru just sighed. He knew his brother wouldn't know what tact was, even if it hits him in the face. The moment he uttered those words, everyone turned even more serious. Kaoru just shook his head and accepted defeat.

"Still 45 minutes left to Kyouya sempai's arrival" Kaoru replied

"Are you sure he would be back on time?" Hikaru questioned

"He'll be back right on time if not earlier than the deadline he'd fixed" Haruhi responded casually.

"How come you're sure?" Hikaru asked. Though he held back from uttering the thought 'even after he ditched you at the last moment' that was in his mind, it was clear from his tone.

"It's simple, I trust him!" Haruhi answered genuinely. She started twirling the bouquet in her hands as her own words reminded her of events from the day before once again. She could still see the elated expression on Kyouya's face as he talked about his newfound freedom. Freedom suited Kyouya a lot. It gave him a casual and dare devilish charm, which Haruhi found very alluring. Remembering the elated look on his face on his fetching smirk for some strange reason made her feel light headed and giddy. She felt like she was in a slight daze.

"What are you smiling at" Hikaru asked

Haruhi blushed, when she realised what she had been thinking mere seconds before Hikaru had caught her. There was going to be no escape without giving him a straight-faced answer.

"You're blushing! Why are you blushing" he pestered. Haruhi immediately bowed down her head to hide her blush. It was then, that she noticed a note, which was rolled and placed amidst the stems of the flowers, in such a way that it was well hidden. She took it out and found that it was written by Tamaki sempai. It said "Sorry for my grandmother's behaviour. I never intended for it to happen. I'm sorry."

She smiled at the gesture as she thought 'Despite all his goofy and immature antics, he's still a gentleman. No wonder the girls fawn over him.'

Hikaru peered at the note over her shoulder.

"Tamaki sempai would always be Tamaki sempai" She said in a grateful tone.

"Oh… don't tell me you fell for his gentlemanly gesture as well!" he said as he snatched the note from her hand and waved it for the others to see.

"I'm just thankful for his thoughtfulness, I'm not falling for him" she clarified "besides, I'm not a suitable choice for a gentleman like him"

"Yes, our dear Haruhi is into bad boys" Kaoru stated slyly.

"What?" Haruhi exclaimed defensively, "What do you mean Kaoru?"

"The term 'Bad boy' doesn't do justice to Haruhi's taste in men, Kaoru," Hikaru added snickering "Evil, conniving mastermind would be accurate"

Haruhi immediately coloured as she caught on to what they were hinting at. She was about to protest when she felt a strange sensation. It was like all her surroundings were tilting. Her throat felt constricted.

Hunny noticed Haruhi's reaction and sidled closer to her "Haru-chan, what's up?"

"I…I don't" Haruhi cleared the throat and tried again "I feel strange." Her throat had started burning and her vision was getting blurry.

Mori's brain worked over what could have caused Haruhi to become dizzy when suddenly the answer clicked. "It's the drink that she had, it must have been spiked." He announced

"What? Why would Tono do this to Haruhi?" Hikaru exclaimed

"It's not Tama-chan. It's his grandmother ploy" Hunny clarified. "The flowers were from Tama-chan; however, the drink wasn't his doing. Damn it, we have been careless!" he said in a steely tone. Haruhi groaned and was about to topple over, but Mori steadied her and held her firmly.

"What do we do now?" Hikaru nearly yelled.

"Calm down Hika-chan! We don't want to attract attention to Haruhi's condition" he stated.

"Is it something serious?" Kaoru asked, somewhat calmly despite the state of panic, he was in.

"It's complex… not serious. Haruhi might be unconscious for an hour or so. Just the excuse required to take Haruhi into her custody for a while and just enough time for her to force Tamaki into consenting to whatever she wants him to do using Haruhi as the bait" Mori stated. As if to prove Mori's point, The Suoh matriarch and her grandson were walking in their direction.

"She would clearly demand in front of everyone that we hand Haruhi over to her, so that she could be administered with proper medical care" Hunny concluded "and we wouldn't be able to do anything to stop her." He sounded desperate.

His entire stance was loose, languid, and so clearly bleak. The twins became hopeless after seeing their senior in such a state. However, seeing Hunny in such a state triggered Mori's protective instincts and he took charge.

"Mitsukuni..." he called and immediately Hunny perked up.

"Yes Takashi?"

"I'll handle Shizue Suoh. Take Haruhi out of the hall through that door" he said, pointing to a door in the back wall of the hall "and give me the flowers!"

Hunny took hold of Haruhi's hand and tried to steady her. Once her form was steady, He slowly helped her walk to a nearby door.

"Hikaru…. Go to a nearby dinner table, take a glass of water and dump some salt and pepper into it. Then, take that solution to Haruhi." Mori said and seeing Hikaru's slight hesitation, he gave a command in a clear deeper tone "NOW"

Hikaru walked as fast as could towards the dinner tables without running.

Mori walked ahead steadily towards Shizue Suoh but not before he gave his orders to Kaoru in a whisper "Go Ahead and relay what happened to Kyouya. Keep him informed and keep in touch with Hikaru, to know about Haruhi's condition. Do not leave this room at any cost. Stay here and keep in touch with everyone"

Kaoru nodded and took his cell phone out and Mori tore away the thank you card and slipped it into his pocket

To say Shizue Suoh was angry would be an understatement. She had planted that waiter just to spike Haruhi's drink. She had thought as soon as the girl would faint, she would be able to feign concern and take the girl with her stating to cater to her situation as a responsible hostess. Nevertheless, her friends had caught on quickly and she could see the Haninozuka heir walking the girl to an exit door nearby. She hurried her steps and wanted to be there before the boy left with her. She was so focused on the girl that she didn't see the Morinozuka heir walking towards her.

Only when she heard a loud cough did she look up to see the tall youth and she scowled immediately.

"Would you be kind enough to offer me a chance to express my gratitude for making this evening a memorable one?" Mori stated loudly and clearly in his deep baritone, immediately gathering everyone's attention surrounding them. He had extended the small bunch of flowers to her. Shizue's scowl only deepened when she looked at the flowers. 'These boys are proving to be more a menace than I thought they would be. It does not matter anyway; I'll have the girl under my custody within a few minutes' she thought. She knew that the small distraction was meant to allow the girl and her friend a safe escape route. Thus, she didn't bother looking around for the girl.

"Oh, you are such a sweet boy. They are lovely!" Shizue Suoh stated and accepted the flowers. She then turned away from him. At the very moment, she gave another signal to one of the waiters, indicating that she wanted the girl captured.

Tamaki, on the other hand was confused. He could see that Hunny sempai had taken Haruhi away before he could reach her and she seemed like she was not well. 'In fact, she looked as if she was about to faint. Hikaru is nowhere to be found. Mori sempai is using host tactics now of all the times to thank grandmother. What is going on? I can't make the head or the tail of the situation' he thought.

The only thing he knew for sure was that something was wrong. Haruhi was somehow involved and everyone except him knew what was wrong. He felt lonely and hopeless. He just wished the party would end soon, so that he can corner one of his friends and demand what was going on.

* * *

><p><strong>PS: I know this might be a cliffhanger. However, I have finished this chapter at this point because I need your opinion on something. Previously I had planned to give all the hosts a pair. Now I think bringing up so many OCs, would dilute the entire charm of the story. Therefore, I have planned to stick with only five OCs, (three of them are Haruhi's grandparents, and the fourth one is Tamaki's fiancé). I'm in a dilemma with the fifth one though. I want to give either Kaoru or Hunny a love interest (because I personally like their characters). Let me know whose love story you want me to write about - Kaoru or Hunny. I have written the next chapter as well, though I intend to set the base for the fifth OC in that chapter. So let me know. <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:**

I thank everyone for reading and reviewing my story. I also thank those who took time to give me your valuable opinions on 'Who should have the last OC as their pair'. However, both Kaoru and Hunny got equal number of votes, so I was in a dilemma for a while until I saw **Ashlyn Braere's** review: "_Honestly, I think ANY more OC's, especially another love interest for any of the hosts would seriously pull the attention away from the main story. The story is supposed to be about Haruhi and Kyouya, not anyone else. The others are supporting characters. Honestly, I'm really only interested in the interactions between the two of them."_

It made sense to me as the real reason I started writing this story was because there were very limited number of stories for Kyouya and Haruhi pairing. Therefore, no other hosts will have a love interest at least not a strong and a serious one, which might take away attention from Kyouya and Haruhi.

I had already mentioned in a previous chapter that Tamaki is going to be engaged at the party. Therefore, his fiancé will remain. However, there will not be any serious love connection between them (at least not until the epilogue.) She's here only for comic purposes. I'll also introduce the OCs that I had planned for Hunny and Kaoru in the future chapters (if possible!). However, they'll only be in the background and will serve as a diversion when too much drama happens in the plotline. (You can see the interactions between Kaoru, Hunny and their respective OCs only if you squint.)

This is a story about Kyouya and his beloved Haruhi! They get to the next level in this chapter and their love story is picking up speed from here on. I hope you like this chapter as much as I do

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the door, in a corridor:<strong>

Hikaru had been there with the salt and pepper solution a few moments after Haruhi and Hunny had exited out the door. They were standing in a corridor, which seemed to run along the width of the hall. They walked to the nearest restroom that they could see. Haruhi took the glass from Hikaru and downed its contents in one gulp. She swallowed it with a great difficulty. She waited for a moment and opened the door to the restroom as soon as she felt her stomach churn. Hikaru and Hunny went inside the restroom immediately following Haruhi. They could see Haruhi bent over a wash basin at a far corner. Before the boys could take a step to move closer to Haruhi, however, a woman came out of one of the cubicles. The moment she spotted the boys, she let out a shriek. Hunny and Hikaru both looked at the shrieking woman in confusion. Only when she started yelling at them to get out of the ladies room did they realise that they were in the ladies restroom. When the lady saw them still standing, she raised her hand, ready to throw her handbag at them. Immediately, Hunny and Hikaru bolted out of the room into the corridor. They leaned on the wall of the corridor and took a deep breath to calm themselves. The lady came out and shouted at them as if they were some delinquents and began giving them a along winded lecture on proper conduct and how she was going to report the incident to their parents.

Inside the room, however, Haruhi was torn between amusement and pity at the situation that her friends had gotten into. She felt very relieved now that the sedative was out of her system, even though her vision was slightly blurred and her thought process a bit murky. 'At least, she didn't feel that she would topple at any moment' she thought as her legs felt firm and steady underneath her. She washed her hands and her face. She opened the clutch that she had with her to find her cell phone, house keys, a couple of tissues and a few chocolates. She took one of the chocolates and popped it into the mouth to remove the bad taste. She wiped her face with the tissue. She could hear the woman yelling at her friends through the door. 'I better do some damage control' she thought with a smile.

She opened the door and when the lady looked at her, she bowed

"I apologise on behalf of my friends, madam." She said as she straightened up "You see, I wasn't feeling well and my friends here," She indicated to the harassed forms of Hikaru and Hunny sempai "were only concerned for me. In their hurry to aid me, they didn't see the sign on the door. They did not mean any harm" she clarified. The lady looked at the boys who just nodded their heads, incapable of forming proper sentences.

"Will you please let go of my ear now?" Hikaru whimpered. The woman had been pulling Hikaru by the ear just moments before Haruhi showed up. She released him and Hikaru immediately took three steps away from the woman and started rubbing his sore and tortured right ear. He turned to look at Hunny sempai, whom he expected would extract retribution from the violent woman. However, Hunny was looking like he was petrified.

For the first time in his life, Hunny actually felt frightened 'the lady is scary! I can't believe she hit me on the head with her heavy handbag. What does she have in her handbag, anyway? It hurts like hell' he thought, rubbing his head with both his hands.

"The only reason I'm letting this matter slide is because the young lady here seems to think that you both are innocent!" She stated.

Hikaru held back a retort that was on the tip of his tongue, as he knew that his delicate ears would be ripped off from his face if the lady once again pulled him by the ear.

Haruhi couldn't hold back her smile. She knew that this was the first time her friends had felt what it was like to be treated like regular teenage boys. Haruhi was pulled out of her musings when she heard heavy footsteps from both the ends of the corridor. It seemed like many people were running towards them. Hunny's hand immediately clamped around Haruhi's wrist and he cursed. A moment later, they saw an entire swarm of big burly men coming towards them from both the sides of the corridor.

Hunny let go of Haruhi's hand, pointed towards the restroom and said, "Take Haruhi inside and bolt the door. I'll handle this! " he said, taking a stance.

"Lady, I suggest you go with them things are about to get messy" He added in his steely tone as his martial arts instincts kicked in. There seemed like a fifty or so of them. "This would be a piece of cake." He stated.

Hikaru following Hunny's advice grabbed Haruhi's hand and went inside and the woman followed them. However, before Hikaru could bolt the door, a couple of men pushed open the door and entered the room. Hunny, who had dealt serious blows to five or so men by then, saw this and rushed ahead to stop the guys. However, before he could reach the room, one of the men had closed the door and bolted it from the inside. Hunny wanted to kick open the door, however, the rest of the men were blocking him from doing so. 'These guys are so dead. I'm at the end of my patience' was his last thought before he went on carnage.

Four guys who had entered the room, immediately surrounded the three already inside. Hikaru pulled Haruhi behind him. 'Damn it, I cannot fight these guys. They look so massive. But I have to hold them back at least until Hunny sempai comes in after dealing with the remaining goons outside. That would take a maximum of five minutes. How am I going to hold them back for that long? Think, think of something' Hikaru wracked his brains for something.

But before he could think of something, or the guys could make a move, the lady said "you idiot! What are you gaping at? Take the girl and get out through the window. I'll handle these men" Hikaru looked at the woman, bewildered for a moment; however, he recalled that she had thumped Hunny sempai with her handbag. He nodded his head.

Immediately, a guy came down to block the window. The woman without the slightest bit of hesitation kicked the guy in the groin and he doubled over with pain. Hikaru helped Haruhi to climb on to the window ledge. The window was wide and long enough to allow a person to get through it freely. Since they were on the ground level of the building, the drop from the ledge to the ground would not be high. Once he heard Haruhi land on the other side, He stepped on the back of the man who was still crouched on the floor thanks the lady's powerful kick. He took a last look at the lady who was thwacking a man a foot taller than her, in the face with her handbag. Hikaru snickered before he climbed onto the ledge and jumped. The moment he landed, he saw a couple of men running towards them.

"What?" He yelled as he grabbed Haruhi's hand and began sprinting in the direction opposite to the one from which the men were coming like a swarm of flies.

"Where are they coming from? We're outside the building. I thought all these bastards were inside, " he said.

Haruhi, who was running alongside him was breathing hard and ragged. "I think "…. I think…Shizue-san set up p..peo…people all around the building both….both inside and out" she managed to say her thoughts aloud.

Hikaru panicked as the men were closing in on them. A man who was just a few feet from them had extended his hand to grab hold of Haruhi. Haruhi just slipped away in time to avoid him. Hikaru turned around and threw his cell phone at the man's face, which landed on the man's eye, and the man yelped. This boosted his confidence and he told Haruhi to run ahead without him.

"NO way" Haruhi replied.

"Come one Haruhi they are getting closer. All I have to do is handle them till Hunny sempai arrives. You go ahead. I'll be fine. If we run together, both of us will be caught," he said.

Haruhi turned to look behind them once and saw that the men were only a couple of feet away from them. She looked at Hikaru and nodded her understanding. Hikaru released her hand and Haruhi ran ahead of him.

Hikaru on the other hand slowed down, turned around and threw his heavy wallet at the man who was in the lead. The wallet hit one of the men right in the eye with such a force that there was a bruise forming already, "Goal" Hikaru yelled, pumping his fists in the air. When the outraged man yelled and took after him, he increased his speed and ran harder, snickering all the while. He could see Haruhi running ahead of him, but the distance between them was not enough.

'Hunny sempai isn't here yet. So let's see what else I have' he thought as he slipped his hand into the pocket. So off went the projectiles: the latest version of Sony PSP handheld video game console, his card case, Kaoru's smart phone, then both his shoes and his watch… So on. He was getting creative with each hit.

10 minutes later Haruhi was nowhere in sight and Hikaru was surrounded by a couple of enraged men out for revenge. They had forgotten their goal of catching the girl and surrounded the impish brat who had the audacity to not only throw things at them but also made wise cracks about it. A man, whose left eye was bruised and swollen, cracked his knuckles. Hikaru closed his eyes, waiting for a painful punch, but nothing came. He opened his eyes to look at the small figure of Mitsukuni Haninozuka and looked at the ground to find the unconscious bodies of the thugs who had surrounded him.

"Thanks sempai, for a moment I thought I was a goner" Hikaru said gratefully.

"It's alright Hika-chan, where is Haru-chan?" Hunny asked, looking around for her.

"Oh, I asked her to run ahead of me" he replied. Mori joined them now and he was holding all those items that Hikaru had thrown earlier at the men. It seemed he had gathered all those items.

"Oh Mori sempai, thanks! You didn't have to go through the trouble of gathering them for me" Hikaru said

"I couldn't run because of my injury. I decided to pick up your things on the way while I was walking because I wanted to be of help one way or another!" he stated before handing the things over to Hikaru.

"Come on, let's go find Haru-chan" Hunny said.

They walked ahead searching for Haruhi.

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the building: <strong>

Haruhi was running frantically. She had never run so much in her life. Her legs were aching and felt heavy. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears and her throat felt so parched and dry that she was coughing as she ran. When she was a few feet away, she turned back to look at Hikaru only to find him throwing something at one of the men. Unfortunately, no matter what Hikaru did, the men didn't give up their pursuit. As she was running, she looked at the fountain nearby which she had bandaged Mori's leg earlier. However, what caught her attention was that opposite to the fountain there was a door, which held the placard 'security.' This door it seemed to lead to the security room. 'If I get in there, I'll be under protection at least until Hunny-sempai or Kyouya arrive' she thought. She changed her direction and ran towards the door.

As she was running towards the door, a large hand gripped her by the hair and dragged her back till she hit a solid body. She was forcefully turned around that she almost lost her balance, but before she could fall, a hand had snaked its way over her throat and gripped it tightly. "Scream and I'll squeeze you throat easily, which would crush the windpipe and kill you in a second." A vicious looking, tall man stated. His grip was so strong that she was sure that his fingers would leave a mark on her throat. She began choking slightly. She could see the man's feral and triumphant expression as she struggled to pry his hand away from her throat. He pulled his cell phone out and called someone "yes… yes. I have caught the girl. She's right here in my clutches. Yes, I'll make sure that she doesn't slip away…. Suoh Sama" he said.

As Haruhi processed this information, she was vaguely aware of a door opening somewhere. She thought it was the door to the security room. 'If only I can get out of his grip, I would be able to call for help. Someone in the security room would help me out' she thought and struggled harder. She kicked the man in the groin. The man yelped and his grip loosened. She took that opportunity, freed herself from his grip, and ran ahead to the security door. Two men had just then came through the form inside the security room. She opened her mouth to call for help, only to hear her previous captor issue them orders

"Hurry up and catch the brat. She is the one!" He said.

The moment he had said the words, Haruhi realised that all of the security men were working for Shizue Suoh. She turned immediately and ran in a different direction, but it was too late. They had caught up with her. A stout man was holding her tightly against his body and his hand closed over her mouth. Haruhi struggled, kicked, clawed and scratched her captor, but nothing seemed to be working. Her brain was actively working fuelled by her adrenaline and her mind was filled with such a rage that she did the only thing that came to her mind; she bit down hard on the man's hand. He screamed in a shrilled high pitch voice. Haruhi screamed in a louder voice, although somewhat hoarsely "HELP. Somebody please…..HEL-" and her mouth was promptly closed once again.

When the tall man reprimanded him for being careless, he retorted, "she bit me"

"Well, she kicked me in the balls, so shut up and quit your whining. Drag her to the security room and secure her now before anyone arrives" the tall man ordered.

Haruhi struggled harder, but ceased all her struggles once the man pulled a small kitchen knife and held it to her throat "we are paid a handsome sum for capturing a brat like you who obviously isn't worth it. But if you try anything again, I wouldn't mind getting a rid of a rich, spoiled brat like you" he said threateningly.

Haruhi stilled the moment the blade was placed close to her throat. She never dreamt even in her wildest dreams that she would be held hostage at a knife-edge. She had always considered that a staple in the movies. Haruhi closed her eyes as fear gripped her heart and her entire body felt like lead. 'Are you still watching all this from heaven mom? I can't believe I'm stuck in this situation' she thought. The moment felt surreal. Kyouya had warned her the day before that abduction was highly probable, but she didn't consider that it could happen to her. 'It's just I thought Kyouya would be here with me and he wouldn't let these things happen. He would manipulate everything and stop these situations from occurring. If only he was here, then I wouldn't ever have been in this situation in the first place.'

The man slowly edged away as he dragged Haruhi along with him all the while holding the knife to the throat. His silent companion and the tall man followed him slowly, keeping an eye out on the area. He was almost close to the side door. She could hear distant footsteps, which the man seemed not to notice and she realised it, must be Hunny sempai or Hikaru. Her mind was feeding her with hope that her friends would be there any moment now and she would be safe.

However, in reality all her heart wanted was the presence of the one person because she was sure that if he were there, she would return home safe and sound. While her other friends were doing everything they could to ensure her safety, her heart was still in turmoil and she knew it wouldn't calm down until he was with her. Whenever he was nearby, somehow her heart, mind and soul were always filled with the certainty that everything would be fine. She missed the calm assurance that was his presence. 'Please…please.. Kyouya come back soon. I don't think I can take this anymore. Please come back to me' she pleaded in her mind.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't realise the man who was dragging her at knifepoint had stopped.

"What the hell?" the man yelled. When his hand holding the knife was pulled and twisted behind his back by another incredibly powerful hand.

Haruhi saw the opportunity and pulled away from his grasp with all her might. As soon as she was out of his grasp, she turned around to see what was happening.

The man panicked and struggled in vain. He couldn't see the face of the attacker, because the attacker was standing behind his back slightly to his right. As he turned his head to look at his attacker, he saw a pair of deep and dark onyx eyes, rage swirling within them. That was the last thing he saw as he felt a sharp blow behind his neck. He staggered and fell down.

As the man fell down, Haruhi saw the enraged form of Kyouya Ootori. She had seen him annoyed, irritated and even frustrated, but never in rage. He looked like a demon from hell right at that moment. Strangely, she didn't feel scared, but rather relieved. It felt like all the stress that had her in its grip the entire evening was all ebbing away with the presence of Kyouya.

The stout man's silent companion and the tall man rushed ahead to attack. He effortlessly side stepped them and knocked them out with just two strong blows.

He scanned her body from toe to head to see if she was harmed in anyway. That action only bought a smile to her face.

Kyouya winced slightly when he saw red fingerprints that were mildly visible on her throat. However, the moment his vision landed on her face, relief and happiness filled his being because Haruhi was bestowing him with the most dazzling smile he had ever seen on her face. This brought a smile to his face as well. He moved closer to her, with that casual elegance he seemed to carry off. However, Haruhi was having none of that. She just rushed towards him in a few strides and hugged him for all she was worth. She wanted to show him how happy and grateful she was, and what better way to show it than a hug.

Kyouya was stunned the moment Haruhi initiated the hug. It felt like the world had shrunk completely until all it encompassed was just the two of them. His heart soared, nevertheless, it was a bit 'too friendly' for his tastes and he decided to change that immediately. He pulled her body as close as possible towards his own. His left hand gripped her waist firmly. His right hand moved all over her back in a slow, rhythmic manner soothing her completely. Haruhi melted into his embrace and the contented sigh that she let out only served to boost his ego.

Haruhi tightened her hands around his back even more and leaned her head on his chest, listening to his steady and strong heartbeat. Her feminine instincts were all in uproar as this embrace felt different, passionate, warm and thrilling and if she dared to admit it rather sensual. All she could do was submerge deeper into the spiralling currents of heady feelings that Kyouya wrought on her.

Kyouya on the other hand couldn't even think anymore. His ever-active brain finally had shut down for once in his life and his heart on the other was inflating. He couldn't help but lean down to get a whiff of the wonderful scent that she always seemed to emanate. It was as natural as fresh rain and as stimulating as the aroma of a freshly brewed coffee. He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "I clearly remember asking you to stay clear of trouble"

"Well, I tried!" She said dejectedly and then added in a playful tone "what can I say? I seem to have a knack for attracting trouble…"

"Indeed, it's no wonder you got yourself into the host club…..breaking vases and all!" he said, equally playful.

"Yes, indeed! It's also the reason I became your secretary, isn't it?" she asked innocently

"You say that like it's a bad thing!" He said, slightly affronted, "If anything trouble should keep its distance from you now that you are my secretary!"

"Yes, I see your logic…. However, since you weren't beside me, trouble didn't get that memo!" she replied.

"Well …. Now that I'm here, I shall notify trouble that you're never to be bothered ever again"

"I'm sure trouble wouldn't bother me anymore, now that you are here…right beside me" she said with such heartfelt conviction that Kyouya felt elated at the amount of trust she had in him. Her arms tightened around him even more. A moment later she added cheekily as all her heart was filled with happiness "However, it would be out of pity for me"

"Pity?" he asked.

"Pity for the fact that I'm with a far greater trouble than it could ever hope to be!" she said with a smile.

"When you'd screamed help, we thought that you're caught by one of those men! But it's worse than we imagined you're caught by the evil shadow king!" Hikaru mocked.

Haruhi immediately broke the hug and stepped back. She looked a bit sheepish, Kyouya on the other hand, looked like he wanted to strangle Hikaru right on the spot.

"Haru-chan, are you all alright? We heard you calling for help and we came rushing immediately!" Hunny said.

"I'm alright. I was caught. But Kyouya was here on time!" she said as she gestured to the men who were lying there unconscious.

"Good job, Kyo-chan!" Hunny said happily, looking at the unconscious men on the ground.

Now that Haruhi saw the unconscious men on the ground, she realised how effortlessly Kyouya had knocked them out. 'I know that Kyouya is strong in mind and heart, but I never expected him to be physically strong enough to knockout two fully grown men so easily' she thought. She expected to such a stunt from Hunny sempai and Mori sempai, but coming from Kyouya Ootori who always resorted to verbal attacks and threats just made her speechless for a moment. However, she recalled a moment during the Ouran Fair when Kyouya had damaged a car's hood simply with one blow out of sheer frustration 'No wonder he called himself the assault and battery professional while threatening Kasanoda.' She thought with a smile. Knowing that Kyouya was as strong as Hunny or Mori sempai pleased her for some strange reason.

"Sempai, must you always have impeccable timing?" Hikaru complained, bringing Haruhi back to the present moment "I was planning on rescuing Haruhi and becoming the hero of the day!" he pouted in mock disappointment earning a laugh from Haruhi, which clearly annoyed Kyouya.

"You're hero of the day, Hikaru! You certainly get points for your creative ways of handling these men!" she said, oblivious to Kyouya's glare that spelled a certain doom for one-half of the mischievous twins.

Tachibana had arrived at that moment unintentionally saving Hikaru from certain harm.

After seeing his boss rushing off to handle the thugs that had kidnapped the girl, he had gone to check the area knocking out any potential threats that he found around.

"I've taken out every last one of them, Kyouya-sama. It seems the security personnel here are Suoh's men. So I have dumped them into the security room and secured them." Tachibana reported. Kyouya nodded and asked, "Is it just the security personnel?"

"No, from what I understand, everyone from the event organisers, waiting staff and caterers are personally hired by Shizue Suoh and are paid a higher amount than they are usually paid to do whatever she tells them to do!" he stated.

"So, what do we do now, Kyo-chan?" Hunny asked.

"What?... Don't tell me you are still thinking of taking Haruhi back into the party. That's insane!" Hikaru stated.

"If Haruhi doesn't go back now, Shizue Suoh will definitely pretend that she has Haruhi under custody, and make Tamaki do whatever she wants." Mori stated

"What the hell, we can't let her get back to the party, it's a death trap." Hikaru protested

"It's up to Haruhi to decide Hikaru." Kyouya said

"Well I think Mori sempai is right. If I back away now, she'll still make Tamaki sempai believe that she has captured me. Whatever it is that she wants Tamaki sempai to do, it must be big because she wouldn't go through all this trouble if it weren't. Besides, I don't want to be the reason, Tamaki sempai's choices are deprived. I don't want him to take any rash decisions just because he thinks he has to keep me safe." Haruhi explained her feelings in a crystal-clear manner. She wasn't about to let a friend suffer and only think about her safety. That would be selfish.

Kyouya nodded and Hikaru looked upset, but remained silent.

"Then we should get back into the hall. Hikaru and Mori sempai, both of you get inside first, through the main door." Kyouya said.

"And Hunny sempai, you should escort Haruhi inside, through the back door to the building and get in at the same time as them, however, undetected"

"I'll join you in a few minutes." he concluded. He pulled the stylish scarf that was a part of his party attire and wrapped it around Haruhi's shoulder and neck in such a way that it covered the fingerprints that were on her throat. He deliberately swiped his fingers across her bare shoulders and throat as he was wrapping the scarf around her. Haruhi's breath hitched slightly at the gesture and she looked up at Kyouya. Kyouya had a very casual look on for this party as opposed to his impeccably dressed appearances at host club parties. In fact, he was wearing well-fitted dark black jeans. Now that he had removed the scarf, Haruhi could see the snugly fitted blue dress shirt, which had the top three buttons undone. The cuffs of the shirt were unbuttoned and rolled over giving him a rugged appearance and she couldn't deny that he looked a lot sexier dressed this way. As she realised where her thoughts were headed, she turned beet red. Kyouya finished wrapping the scarf around her and he reluctantly withdrew his hands away. He stood back and took relish in the fetching blush that adorned her cheeks.

Haruhi just smiled at him and walked ahead confidently. Hunny joined her and he couldn't help but notice the vast difference in her that Kyouya's presence had brought. Her gait was lighter and she was humming some strange tune. The tension that had made her movements stiff was nowhere to be found and of course, that dazzling smile was still there on her face. He had also caught them checking each other out just moments ago. He smiled to himself. 'I think they have already started to fall for each other. But I'm sure it'll take a long time for them to realise it' he thought.

* * *

><p><strong>At one of the dinner tables:<strong>

Haruhi was sitting at a dinner table along with the others waiting for Kyouya. A waiter came by their table, pushing a food service cart. He stopped and asked for their orders. All the hosts picked their meals from a menu card that was already on their table. The waiter took note of it and immediately served their food. The waiter even went out of his way to fill the plate that was placed before an empty chair. Hikaru got suspicious at this action and spoke in whispers the moment the waiter moved to the next table. "Is it even safe to eat the food? I find this suspicious. I mean he filled that plate for no one!"

At this the others laughed. Kaoru whispered in his ear "moron that is for Kyouya sempai. Didn't you see that the waiter was none other than Tachibana?"

As the realisation dawned on him, Hikaru exclaimed "oh no, Tono's stupidity must be contagious. Otherwise, how else could I have missed such an obvious thing?"

"If it was contagious….we would have all been affected. But since it is only you, you have your own stupidity to blame for" Kaoru responded in a playful tone.

At this Hikaru assumed the timid and docile façade that Kaoru adopts in the host club and replied "Kaoru, how could you say that? I'm hurt," Hikaru said in a timid voice with teary eyes.

The hosts laughed at the reversal of roles, once again drawing attention.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the Orchestra:<strong>

Tamaki stood beside his grandmother, relieved to find Haruhi back in the party. She looked remarkably happy and flushed with her usual glow. He was confused because the last time he saw her, she was on the verge of fainting. 'Something has changed, she's not tense anymore. She is like her usual self. No, she's happier than usual for some strange reason. Her smile is brighter than usual. Her expression is relaxed and carefree' he thought. He was looking at Haruhi to his heart's content to notice either his grandmother or his father standing nearby him.

His grandmother on the other hand almost had a panic attack when she saw the girl in the hall, looking perfectly happy and serene as if she wasn't running away from bad guys who were chasing her just minutes ago.

She tried calling the leader of the group of men that she had planted only to find that his cell-phone was switched off. 'Something's definitely off' she thought.

"Things not going according to your plan, mother" Yuzuru said in a chirpy tone.

"What makes you think that?"Shizue asked, trying to save face.

"Come on, mother. Both of us know….all your plans so far now are foiled. So you can drop the act." Yuzuru taunted. Shizue pressed her lips tightly in order to not lose control. Her own son was taunting her and this is all because of a bunch of brats. She reigned in her temper and tried to think of a solution to her current predicament, 'unless the girl's safety is threatened, the boy for sure will not agree to the engagement'

Yuzuru who had noticed Haruhi's urgent exit earlier and the absence of other hosts knew instantly that his mother had planned to capture the girl. However, before he could act on it without stirring up any suspicions, he saw her sneaking into the hall through the backdoor with the Haninozuka heir. All the hosts had once again reassembled in a neat and efficient manner around the dinner prepared to have dinner as if nothing happened at all.

However, something seemed different in the hosts' attitude this time. This time they seemed to enjoy the party as they were having dinner and chatted lively as they usually do at the hosts club. Yuzuru had spied on the hosts through hidden cameras almost as his hobby and therefore, he could pinpoint what or rather who had brought this change.

As if to prove his point, Kyouya entered the hall at that precise moment. Yuzuru looked at his mother who was desperately plotting something. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention. When she looked at him, he pointed towards the front entrance and said "In case, you're wondering why Haruhi Fujioka is back at the party safely." Yuzuru revelled in the look of shock on his mother's face.

Shizue Suoh couldn't help but gasp when she saw the youngest Ootori walking into the hall as if he owned the place.

* * *

><p><strong>Across the grand hall:<strong>

Like always, Kyouya Ootori instantly scanned the hall we walked into it. He found that his friends were seated at one of the small round tables at the back of the hall. He went straight ahead to meet them without bothering for once about business connections or contacts or merits. No, today his plan was to spend time with his friends, particularly Haruhi. He walked ahead with his trademark elegance.

Like always, Yoshio Ootori was the first to spot his son, the instant he stepped into the hall. 'So he finally showed up. I wonder where he was till now?' he thought as he saw his son walking casually towards his friends without bothering with his usual precursory routine of establishing connections for stabilising his future. 'But now it's time for other people to try establishing potential connections with you. It's time for you to truly witness what you have accomplished' he thought.

He knew that almost everyone at the party had some knowledge of Kyouya's business venture as almost everyone who had conversed with him today had enquired about Kyouya without fail. Usually they only enquired about his oldest son or himself, however, that day everyone wanted to know what Kyouya was doing and why he wasn't at the party. So just to see how much popular Kyouya had become among the businessmen at the party and to gauge how much of a potential businessman they saw in his son, he announced his son's arrival.

"Oh, look Kyouya decided to finally show up, I wonder what took him so long!" He said rather loudly to Ryuu who was sitting next to him. A wide smile spread across his stern face as he saw around twenty men getting up to go and greet his son.

"You knew this would happen, right?" Kazumi asked, sounding amused.

"I just thought Kyouya should have a grand welcome." Yoshio said slyly.

"Kyouya, however, is going to be overwhelmed. He clearly has no idea of his current level of status." Ryuu said.

"well, I think he'll soon get the picture soon enough this way." Yoshio said still smiling.

He had only crossed half the distance of the hall when some twenty odd businessmen surrounded him all eager to greet and converse with him. He could see that some of them had left their tables at the back of the hall to greet him. They were wishing him well, enquiring him about his studies and the reason behind his late arrival to his party. Some talked about their daughters who were in the same class as him. Before he could answer one question, another person would ask him something else. 'it feels like they were just waiting for my arrival or something…..What I don't understand is why they seem to be so interested in me all of a sudden' he thought as he tried to answer their enquiries in a polite and diplomatic way.

Usually they only talked to his father or to his oldest brother. They never showed any interest in him or for that matter considered him important. He was the one who painstakingly tried his level best to converse with them just for maintaining connections. Even if they were engaged in a conversation with him, they would drop it abruptly if they see his father or his brothers and will go and talk to them instead.

He had almost spent some twenty minutes talking to them and answering all their questions. When they still didn't show any signs of leaving him alone, he became desperate to get out of there.

Fortunately, he heard the voice of Ryuu Igarashi, which always meant easy exit.

"Kyouya, my boy, I haven't seen you for such a long time!" he stated in a booming voice. However, the truth was that the Igarashi couple always fussed over him and his sister Fuyumi for some reason. Now that Fuyumi was residing at the Ootori mansion after her delivery, the couple showed up a lot more than usual. Kyouya, however, played along, as he wanted to get out of his sticky situation.

"Yes, it has been a while, Ryuu! How're you? How's Kazumi?" Everyone in the vicinity gasped as he had addressed, someone very much older than him, without any honorific. What they didn't know was that he had always called them by their first names and without honorific since he was two years old.

"I'm fine, but a bit bored, since you weren't here to entertain us!" Ryuu said fondly.

"Nice to know that I'm being missed" he said sarcastically.

"Well, Kazumi does miss you! She is waiting for you. As much as I hate to disrupt your conversation gentleman," he said to the others as gradually lead Kyouya away "But I never keep a woman waiting."

With that, Ryuu led Kyouya to where his wife and Yoshio were seated. Kyouya could see that his friends were seated just a couple of tables away. They were all looking at him, sporting rather pleasant smiles. 'They look like they have enjoyed my predicament' he thought with displeasure.

"That was a close call, wasn't it?" Kazumi said as he sat down on an empty chair next to her.

"Yes, that was! I still don't understand their sudden change in attitude!" he asked, still confused about something for the first time in life.

"Have you forgotten Kyouya almost everyone here at the party is a businessman and naturally they are trying to invest in the next best thing. In this case it's you." Ryuu said while Yoshio sat there smugly. Kyouya was still confused.

"It has been 3 months since you had bought your father's company. By now the word must have spread. No wonder everyone wants to get into your good graces of the next Yoshio!" Kazumi said with clearly disapproving their attitude.

Kyouya turned to look at his father only to find him smiling pleasantly. He was taken aback.

"I assure you that This is nothing! Wait until the time when they would get to know about your other ventures. " Yoshio stated proudly.

"Why don't you enjoy what little peaceful time you have in store for you with your friends. I am sure that they are expecting you to join them. " he added in a lighter tone.

"Yes, I can see them looking over here, especially Fujioka-san" Kazumi added.

"How do you know about Haruhi?" Kyouya asked, surprised.

"Everyone here probably knows about her by now!" Ryuu said without thinking.

At Kyouya's panicked look, Kazumi added mildly "Shizue Suoh was trying to humiliate the girl and I must say the girl can give as good as she gets!"

"You should have seen the look on Shizue's face when she 'My dad knows how to be a lady as well and he can extend his professional help to you'. It was hilarious!" Ryuu said, chuckling at the memory. Kyouya chuckled as well when he heard that. 'That's like her: bold and brazen to the core' he thought.

He looked at Haruhi and she had happened to look at him the same instant. Their eyes locked immediately and it felt like she was beckoning him. Ryuu and Kazumi had noticed this immediately as they were married for too long to let such subtle nuances go unnoticed.

Ryuu immediately looked at Yoshio to assess his reaction and to his surprise; Yoshio was sporting a smirk, which was wider than usual.

He looked at his wife to see his bewildered expression mirrored back in her gaze. He coughed rather loudly gaining Kyouya's attention.

"I am sure your friends are waiting for you, Kyouya, why don't you join them?" Kazumi suggested.

Kyouya nodded and left without a second thought.

"Should I go and warn the girl that it is not wise to have this side of the Ootoris unleashed" Kazumi asked the moment Kyouya was out of earshot.

"And that the Ootoris pursue love a lot more fiercely than business" Ryuu added with a chuckle.

"I think it's too late for a warning." Yoshio replied with a pleasant smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Near the Orchestra:<strong>

"Well, if he didn't heed my warning, then it's about time I'll execute my threat. His father shall know that he spends his free time at the commoner chit's place and no wonder the girls thinks so highly of herself just because she seems to have his attention." Shizue Suoh said, boiling with anger at the audacity of the boy.

Yuzuru knowing what Yoshio's reaction would be remained silent. 'It would be nice to see the look on her face when she realises that Yoshio would rather encourage his son than stop him' Yuzuru thought.

Tamaki on the other hand was fuming on the inside at his grandmother's words.

'So what if he spends his time at Haruhi's place. She's his secretary. There was no need to mention it in such a dirty way. Besides, It's not her fault if she has Kyouya's attention' he thought '... Heck she has ensnared even my attention...' that is when the truth pounced on his senses like his dog Antoinette and he was floored.

'That's why grandmother is tormenting Haruhi because I like her. yes...how stupid of me... a Suoh heir is not allowed to fall in love...isn't that the entire reason that I had to be separated from my mother... isn't that why I am treated like this because I'm dad's love child. I'm so stupid sometimes' he thought berating himself.

"Once Yoshio gets the wind of it, he and the girl will definitely get what they deserve!" she said

Tamaki however came out of stupor and was getting angrier by the second. 'And she's bringing both Kyouya and Haruhi into this mess when it's my fault to begin with' he thought frantically and just the thought of his friends getting into trouble triggered something in him.

"You'll be telling no one anything." Tamaki stated loud and clear, "Do you understand me grandmother. Kyouya and Haruhi have got nothing to do with this leave them alone!"

Although his voice was controlled and without emotion, his entire body was shaking due to coiled rage directed at his grandmother and himself.

"Have you forgotten who you are talking to, you filthy child? Show respect to your elders!" Shizue hissed.

"You had my complete and utmost respect until this moment. But now I don't think you deserve it. Listen well grandmother….., If you really go ahead and do what you intend to do,….then…..then I'll I don't know…um….ahhh …do something reckless…umm…. this moment right here in the party with everyone present here as the witness."

"What exactly will you do or should I ask what exactly can you do?" Shizue challenged knowing that Tamaki wasn't the brightest kid in the block and his attempt at frightening her was so lame that she had trouble taking it seriously.

Tamaki was taken aback with the challenge. He had spewed on something in his rage to stop his grandmother, but he had no idea what he could do to scare her. He wracked his brain to come up with some threat or blackmail.

"It would only take me a few minutes to go around the entire hall and….. and well….. I don't know…." He began stuttering as he was still trying to come up with a threat.

'Only Kyouya is good at these sorts of things. I'm the princely type. It's not in my nature to blackmail. The only thing I'm good at is flirting with the ladies…oh yeah that's right' he thought.

"Yeah…that's right…I can go around the hall kissing each and every girl my age. Heck I can even get the entire women in the party to come and kiss me" he said confidently "but you wouldn't want the Suoh heir to have the reputation that doing such a thing would bring." His eyes literally held the promise he gave.

Shizue Suoh reeled back in shock seeing this side of her grandson. She had never thought in the wildest dream that he would oppose her, let alone threaten her. Shock gave way to rage and she hissed "why you ungrateful brat, after I allowed you to become the Suoh heir despite the fact that you're the illegitimate child… you dare to threaten me?"

"You did not do me any favour by making me an heir, despite the fact that I'm an illegitimate child as you put it, you did that because there was no one else around to become an heir after father." He said defiantly.

"Oh really… now you have the audacity to think that you are doing me a favour by becoming the heir. This is all because of that commoner chit that you're in love with. If I remove her from your life then you'll know your place accordingly. I'll withdraw her scholarship and I'll make sure that she is never able to step into the grounds of Ouran academy ever again." she said angrily.

"Leave Haruhi out of this.. ….It's not her fault …..that I….I love her. She's never in fact ever once crossed the boundary of friendship with me…"he clarified.

"It doesn't matter…If I force her out of your life…You'll learn that lesson the hard way and behave" she retorted.

"If you ever do such a thing I'll fight you at every step and every day. I'll behave in such a way that people will remember me for decades to come as the black sheep who ruined the Suoh family" he said that with such fury that he looked like he was hell personified as human. "However if you promise me that you'll never harm my friends, then I'll promise that I'll try my best to become the perfect heir you always wanted. I'll establish myself as a good businessman in the years to come.. I'll even….. I'll get..get over…" he choked unable to continue "….my…fe..feelings for ha..Haruhi. Just give…me…give me some time"

"Alright then…I'll trust you…. But you'll have to prove to me that you'll stick with your promise…"she said slyly.

"How…?" he asked not realising his grandmother's trap.

"I have fixed your engagement with Amaya Kaneko. I was going to announce it at the party today anyway. All you have to do is just proceed with the actual engagement!" she said

Tamaki instantly paled. Only now, he had painstakingly decided to get over his feelings for Haruhi and his grandmother threw another bolt at his heart. 'I can't believe that ..she has already fixed the engagement without permission… and she was planning to announce it in the same party' he looked at his father who only looked back at him helplessly.

'I know that I have to give up my feelings for Haruhi… but I had a slight hope….hope that if not now…at least some day I would have a chance with Haruhi…. but becoming engaged to someone else would just extinguish the hope and the pain would be unbearable.' He turned to look at Haruhi who was smiling her natural smile for the first time that evening. 'She looked so tense earlier today … but she's happy now.'

Just the thought of Haruhi being safe and happy gave him courage and he mustered it all and said with finality, "I'll do it."

Shizue smiled a triumphant smile whereas Yuzuru looked at his son wistfully and said, "I'm proud of you today, Tamaki"

"Yes…indeed…You're finally learning to behave like a Suoh heir" Shizue added and having said that she went ahead to prepare for the announcement.

Yuzuru scowled and amended his statement "I'm proud of you, not because you're obeying your grandmother's wishes….but because you have grown up so well that you have finally decided to consider the consequences of your actions and take decisions based on it and that is all I ever wanted you to learn."

* * *

><p><strong>At the party:<strong>

"We have some good news to share with everyone here," Shizue announced. Her voice was loud and clear and reached everyone in the hall because of the microphone she held in her hands. "I'm sure you all know my grandson Tamaki Suoh, who is the heir of the Suoh family. Today I'm happy to announce that he's going to be engaged to Amaya Kaneko. Both are young, smart and talented and I'm sure they will be perfect together!" she announced and everyone in hall clapped their hands at the announcement except for Tamaki's friends.

"I can't believe Tono's grandmother would have resorted to this again!" Hikaru yelled, but his voice was drowned in the loud applause. The rest of the hosts were too shocked to say anything else. Kyouya looked around to see that everyone was applauding and some of them rose from their tables to go and wish the newly betrothed couple.

'So that's why she wanted Haruhi here today…in order to utilise Tamaki's feelings for Haruhi only to force him get over his feelings for her. Shizue Suoh is indeed a sly woman' He thought. He also noticed that Tamaki had a strangely sober expression on his fate as if he had relented to his fate without regrets. He glanced at Haruhi only to find her looking at him enquiringly as if to confirm her suspicions. Kyouya nodded in reply. It seemed that Tamaki had agreed to his engagement out of his own will.

Tamaki and his father went and stood next to Shizue Suoh and the Kaneko family did the same. A girl was almost shoved closer to him who he figured out would soon become his fiancée. He turned to look at the girl only to get the shock of his life. The girl was clearly staring at him with a murderous intent that he instinctively took a few steps back. However, he stopped from moving any further, when she called out his name as warning, although he didn't move back to his previous position either.

'With that glare she could easily pass for a female Kyouya' he thought unbidden.

The girl was pretty with all the features of the classic feminine beauty: big almond eyes, long black hair, porcelain skin and cupid bow lips. However, her expression of loath and wrath put off the pretty picture that she painted. Tamaki just closed his eyes and took a few breaths to calm down. He prayed to the gods above for the courage to go ahead with this. He opened his eyes and turned around only to look at Haruhi and smile wistfully at her.

Everyone in the party soon began to flock around the newly engaged teenagers, congratulated them and wished them future happiness. Tamaki had no clue as to how to react when they were showering him with wishes. "Stop fidgeting! Just smile and thank them!" the girl hissed in his ear. He turned to look at her only to find her smiling and thanking an older lady generously. He just imitated her actions. "You seem to have some experience doing this!" he said out of the corner of his mouth.

Tamaki panicked as she wrapped her hand around his arm and leaned on his shoulder slightly. He could not even summon his host skills to pretend at being lovey-dovey the way she did for she still was emitting that murderous aura. Her smile seemed wicked to him. He had to use all his courage to stand there and not run away immediately.

"Of course I have, Tamaki-kun" She said loudly and giggled. To all the people wishing them, the two teenagers looked like they were sharing sweet nothings coyly in between thanking their guests. They couldn't have farther from the truth.

She threw a wicked smile at him. "Don't you know my reputation?" she asked innocently. He just shook his head and turned around to thank a couple who had wished him. "I have been engaged to 6 other boys before you and all of them have begged their parents to cancel the engagement within months." she whispered in his ear and saw him panic with relish.

"You are joking, right?" he said a bit loudly.

"Oh, Tamaki-Kun, why would I joke with you?" she stated loudly and playfully to keep up appearances before their audience.

"I have been engaged to the sixth moron for just a week and he is currently under treatment for emotional trauma" she whispered again and could feel him tremble slightly.

"The maximum time that I was engaged to a guy was 6 months and it turned out that the guy was a bit of a masochist. No wonder he lasted long. Now, however, he just turns into a trembling and shivering mess at the sight of me. Therefore, he's my master work" she whispered in his ear.

The moment Tamaki saw his friends approaching; he dropped his fake smile and rushed towards them using the excuse to run away from his evil fiancée. He walked towards them so fast that it looked like he was running towards them. The thoughts of his scary fiancée went out of his mind, the moment he saw Haruhi. He had wanted to apologise to Haruhi and explain everything to her; however, doing so in the presence of his grandmother would be risky, so he quelled that urge.

He instead said with regret, "I'm really sorry for doing this again guys….but I really have to disband the host club this time once and for all"

"As long as you don't have to leave us behind to go to France or any other country, it's fine Tamaki!" Kyouya stated and the rest of the hosts nodded.

A heavy silence claimed the group of friends, until Kaoru asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"You'll still hang out with us, right?"

"Of course…I would hang out with you guys, you're all my friends…my family!" he stuttered out of his reply. He wanted to say something more, but his grandmother popped in out of nowhere with his fiancé in tow.

"Tamaki, where are your manners?" she asked in a sickly sweet way "you shouldn't have left your fiancée alone!"

Tamaki immediately went to stand next to Kyouya and the girl was glaring at him once again. This attitude of the teenager didn't deter Shizue Suoh's good spirits one bit as she moved away once again to talk to the remaining people at the party.

"Ummm….ah… these are my friends… Kaneko-san" Tamaki managed the introduction awkwardly and Kaneko just gave a tight-lipped smile, though it was clearly visible to them that she was out for murder.

"She's scary…Tamaki sempai is doomed" Hikaru commented without even thinking about the fact that the girl could clearly hear them.

"Just….something about her….reminds me of Kyouya-sempai" Kaoru added.

"Morons…"Amaya Kaneko concluded annoyance clear in her tone.

"How can you even stand them" She directed her question to Kyouya, "let alone deal them."

"It comes with the territory of being an Ootori!" He stated.

"I had hoped in vain…. that you'd have inherited idiot resisting gene from the Kaneko side. I guess I have to come up with something to keep their idiocy from affecting me!" she said, clearly not amused and looking even more deadly with every passing minute.

"You'll become immune to them, after a period of time!" Kyouya said as a consolation.

"After a period of time….I don't think I would survive that long!" she said with an exasperated sigh.

"Do they know each other? Are they friends or something?" Tamaki asked everyone in general as he saw the causal way in which Kyouya and Amaya were conversing with each other. The twins just shrugged their cluelessness.

"She is Kyouya's cousin" Mori gave the vital bit of information that the twins and Tamaki had missed.

"From his mom's side" Hunny chirped.

Tamaki and the twins hurriedly backed up a couple of steps from the girl and clung to each other like a rudder, with their eyes wide in shock.

"You seem to have a great reputation, if their actions are anything to go by!" she looked at the Kyouya with such a pleasant smile that Tamaki almost blanched. "She is scarier when she is smiling!" he said in a low tone and the twins nodded their heads.

"Do you mind if cash in on your reputation," she asked Kyouya while looking at the three boys who were huddled together in a nervous wreck.

"As long as they don't come running to me for help, you can do whatever you want" Kyouya gave his cousin his blessing with an almost sadistic pleasure.

"Haruhi….say something….help us" the boys screamed.

"I'm sorry guys….it's been a long day…all I want to do is go home, take an aspirin and sleep through the remainder of my high school life hoping that this is all a dream" she said in apathetic tone.

"ooooohhhhh….I like you" Amaya said in a chirpy tone. "I guess it would be nice to be with someone with your brand of humour. What is your name by the way?" she asked.

"hmm….. Haruhi….Haruhi Fujioka" she replied hesitantly, clearly disconcerted with the quick change in the attitude of Amaya Kaneko.

"Well…..Haruhi-chan…..I think I would survive my idiot fiancé if you and Ootori are around. I'll see you later, bye" she said and walked away to where her parents were standing.

Tamaki just stood there fidgeting looking as if he wanted to say something and being unable to utter his thoughts. However, before he could utter a word, his grandmother popped in once again and said, "It's time to go, Tamaki" He just smiled wistfully at his friends and followed his grandmother.

"I think we should leave as well, Haruhi!" Kyouya said, noticing the tired and fatigued look in her face. She nodded and all of them walked out of the hall.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:**

I thank everyone who reads my story and special thanks to those who take time to review it, as it is your reviews and continued support that makes me committed to writing this story. I am sorry for the delay; I had some trouble writing this chapter. However, after much planning, editing and rewriting, the chapter is finally up. The next update will be around the last week of June as I will be quite busy this month. Hope you guys like this chapter as much as I do :)

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><p><strong>After The End of The Party, Outside The Venue:<strong>

Haruhi bid her friends goodbye and walked besides Kyouya towards his limo. As he reached the limo, Kyouya leaned on it casually. Haruhi stood beside him and asked, "Where is Tachibana?"

"He's seeing to the people whom he had tied up in the security room. It might take a while"

"What does that mean? Something tells me it is not a good thing?" Haruhi asked with a snort.

"Let's just say he's making sure that they don't do anything like this ever again, no matter how much money is given to them!" He said.

Haruhi just sighed. 'I have to be insane to be working for someone like him' she thought.

"No you're not insane. You just weren't thinking through when you said you'd do anything if I stopped helping Tamaki in pursuing you." Kyouya said with a smile.

'Yep, I totally forgot his mind reading thing' she thought with a shiver.

His smirk just got wider as if he just realised what she was thinking. He then asked her the question that was bothering him for a while. "Why didn't you let me know that Shizue Suoh had tried to humiliate you in front of everyone? There was not one call or a message from you. If you had let me know, I would have arrived here a lot earlier and maybe the entire kidnapping mess wouldn't have happened"

Haruhi replied as calmly as she could, "you were here half an hour earlier than the time you said you'd arrive. I knew you came here as soon as you could. So it doesn't matter!"

"It does matter. Why didn't you inform me? Is it one of your 'I'll handle this myself' stunts?" He asked heatedly. He had noticed Haruhi's change in attitude the moment he asked the question. She had given him a reply in an aloof manner, which was unlike her.

"I didn't tell you this for the same reason that you didn't tell me where exactly you went this evening" Haruhi replied in an equally heated tone.

"Does it matter? Didn't you promise me yesterday? Didn't you say that you'd trust me blindly and completely?" He asked, clearly taken aback at her questioning his absence. 'I can't believe this. I thought she knew me enough to know that I wouldn't abandon her. Does she still think I'm only after merits…' he thought, clearly wounded with her nonchalant reply.

"Yes, it matters and it's not about my trust in you! I know you wouldn't abandon me no matter what. The issue here is that you don't trust me to the same extent. Do you trust me so less that you wouldn't even tell me why you were leaving? Tell me something Kyouya, after all this time I have spent with you, did you for once believe that I wouldn't figure out where you had to go to this evening." She replied acidly.

Kyouya was surprised that Haruhi had figured it out. He wanted to ask her how she figured it out, but thought better of it. When Haruhi turned from her apathetic-self to her passionate-self, she would become a force to reckon with and he didn't want to increase her ire.

Haruhi, however, continued her tirade despite his surprised countenance.

"Would it kill you for you to reveal that you're a nice guy on the inside at least once in a while? Do you always have to pretend to be a bad guy? Honestly, sometimes, you think you are worse than Tamaki sempai in taking things too far. No wonder you are best friends!" She finished her rant with a huff.

"I am sorry; I should have told you about it. But I didn't do it purposefully." He said.

"Well, I know you did not do it on purpose. I just want you to remember that you're not alone in this anymore and that I am here by your side just as you are by my side!" Haruhi said.

"I understand" Kyouya said with a smile.

"So?" Haruhi prodded.

"So?" Kyouya reflected her question.

"So when are you going to tell me where you went this evening?" Haruhi asked.

"I thought you already knew that." Kyouya said.

"But I want you to tell me that on your own and I want you to explain everything." Haruhi said.

"Well If I explain everything, will you tell me how you figured it out?" He asked.

"Do you always have to be a businessman? If you not profit, you look for equal exchange," Haruhi asked exasperated.

"Do you always have to be a lawyer? Always trying to get the truth out of my mouth!" Kyouya asked in a mock exasperation.

"Fine!" She conceded.

"Well, I had figured out that Tamaki's mother was at the éclair mansion quite some time back." Kyouya said.

"And I'll never do the mistake of asking you how!" Haruhi commented.

"And I asked Tachibana to look into the matter and he reported back to me with a proof which confirmed my suspicions!"

"Does your Ootori private police network extend till France? Creepy!"

Kyouya chuckled and continued "Then all I had to do was place Aijima as a part of my older brother's security just as he left for France. He helped me set up contact with Tamaki's mother and I was able to convince her to come to Japan. I had to go to the airport today to help her sneak into Japan without detection while Aijima accompanied my brother back to the mansion"

"Well, Horita said just a couple of days ago that Tachibana was in a bad mood because your security was compromised as Aijima had to be assigned as a part of your older brother's security." She replied as it was now her turn.

"Typical. He always lets things slip and naturally you'd have questioned or rather interrogated him."

"Yep, and he said that since your brother was going on a very important trip to France, someone as trained as Aijima had to there to tighten the security"

"He let another important detail slip while trying to cover up his previous slip. You would have easily connected the dots and figured it out."

"Yes, it was easy from there. Seeing as how devoted all three of your bodyguards are, it was clear that none of them would willingly accompany your older brother unless you had forced them to. That translated to you wanting something from your brother's trip to France. What connects you to France – Tamaki sempai! What connects Tamaki sempai to France – his mother! So where is she now?" She explained.

"I have taken her to an apartment that I had rented. I have planned to buy that small hospital which has been going down steadily without proper management by the end of this week. Afterwards, I'll take her there as it has a live-in health care facility. Some doctors in the US have found the cure for her disease and I have already started the importing the medicines through the pharmaceutical chain which I have bought. In about two weeks' time, she will receive the treatments required to cure her completely"

"When are you going to let Tamaki sempai know?" She asked.

"Not until she is completely cured. You know how impulsive Tamaki is. He'll want to see her immediately and soon his grandmother would find out. I cannot risk her treatment being interrupted. So until she is cured no one other than us will know about it." He responded.

"Can I see her just once? I have always wondered what kind of a woman she is!" She asked.

"Of course! Once she is moved to the hospital, I'll take you to there. She's just like Tamaki except that she is a lot mature. I personally believe Tamaki inherited his immature and crazy antics from chairman Yuzuru!" Kyouya added.

"I certainly second that thought!" Haruhi said as she giggled, remembering her meeting with the eccentric chairman.

As she quieted down, she saw a saw a stern looking lady approaching them.

"Young lady, your name is Haruhi Fujioka, I believe?" The lady asked as she came to stand before them.

"Yes, madam!" Haruhi replied politely. She could feel Kyouya tensing up beside her. He casually grabbed Haruhi's left hand and held it firmly. The lady noticed this gesture and scowled even more.

"And you're from a financially oppressed background, I heard?" She asked.

"That's one way of looking at it!" Haruhi replied with a smile "But, I must say I prefer your term for my situation than the label 'commoner'."

The woman couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips. However, immediately the stern expression replaced the light smile as she said, "As someone who has seen the ways of the rich, I am here to give you an advice. You're a smart girl I am sure you'll heed it!"

Haruhi turned to look at Kyouya, he had his poker face on but from his rigid stance alone, she could tell that he was apprehensive. She looked once again at the woman standing before her and nodded.

"Your so called friends were born and brought up in wealth. Therefore, they wouldn't know what it is like to earn one's livelihood. I am sure you're a source of entertainment for them or rather a new fad that I am sure they will soon get over. Do not mistake it for genuine friendship. Although I can vouch for Mitskuni's and Takashi's loyalty, I'll tell you upfront that the one standing next to you is nothing but a conniving, manipulating and shrewd person who takes after his father. Moreover, the one whose grandmother was trying to humiliate you today, is nothing but trouble, for he is an aimless, carefree child of a boy and such people will never realise that their action will cause others harm. So I believe that it is wise for you to stay away from them and finish your studies without any hassles." The lady said these words as if they were forewarning.

Haruhi's smile only grew wider after hearing her words.

The lady mistook Haruhi's smile to be a mockery and asked in a threatening tone "Did what I say sound funny to you?"

"No, on the contrary, what you said and how you said it felt very touching. I am sure the only reason you talked to me was that you were slightly worried for me. However, your action only cemented my belief that being rich or poor doesn't matter because at the end of the day all that matters is what kind of person they are on the inside." Haruhi replied with her natural smile.

"What you said about my friends is true to some extent. Yes, I might be a source of entertainment for them, as you put it, but aren't friends supposed to be that. Through me, they are experiencing a life that is different from theirs. Isn't friendship all about sharing experiences and being able to look at from other's point of view? Yes, Tamaki sempai may seem aimless and care free but that his charm, and despite that he will always be the first person to rush out and help anyone in need of help irrespective of who they are." She clarified.

She gestured towards Kyouya and said, "And this person standing next to me is the one whom I would trust my life with even though I have personally witnessed how conniving and manipulating he can be. That is the reason I am friends with them because underneath all that rich upbringing and exuberance, they are a welcome menace that all friends tend to be." She clarified.

Kyouya felt sated with happiness after hearing Haruhi's words. He couldn't keep that smug smirk off his face even if he tried.

The lady suddenly remembered her son's words from the past, which sounded very similar to what the girl said about her friends.

" They may be just Igarashi and Ootori to you, Harumi-chan. But for me they are Yoshio and Kotoko and that's why I am friends with them"

She forcefully shunned the past memory that brought her only pain and replied in an angrier tone "Well, I warned you and it is up to you whether you decide to take it or not." and she turned and started walking away.

"Excuse me," Haruhi called her and the woman stopped.

"Can you please tell me your name? My father says that one should know the name of their well wishers?" Haruhi asked.

"Akiyama…. Harumi Akiyama." the woman simply replied and left.

As realisation dawned on her, she looked at Kyouya.

"What do you think?" He asked her.

"I think she is great lady" Haruhi responded. "You know today turned out to be good after all!"

"You were almost humiliated and were almost kidnapped? Still, you think it's a good day!"

"Well, yes… almost being the key here. The Igarashis saved me from humiliation and Akiyama-san looked out for me, even though I am a stranger to them, which means there are some kind and generous people even in the world of rich. You and the others saved me from being kidnapped which means at the end of the day I still have great friends. And..." She left the last part out.

"And?" Kyouya prodded as he moved closer to her.

"and I'm getting closer and closer to solving the one big mystery that is Kyouya Ootori." she said moving closer to him unconsciously.

"What happens when you solve it" he asked, curiosity evident in his stare as he leaned his head down slightly.

She hesitated for a moment and replied, "I might end up completely caught up in it!"

Pink dusted her cheeks slightly as she shyly said it. Kyouya was taken aback at her words and got lost in her chocolate orbs, which were remarkably expressive at that moment. Haruhi was drinking in his unguarded expressions that flitted across his usually expressionless face.

They were so tuned to each other to realise that the Igarashi couple had come to stand in front of them. Ryuu coughed rather loudly to get their attention and grinned as he saw the two teenagers startled out of their bubble.

"Oh, it's you again. What is it now?" Kyouya replied cuttingly. He was annoyed because the couple had caught him in a rather lost moment with Haruhi. 'They are too perceptive and wouldn't let it slide. What's worse they will inform Fuyumi nee-san, the first thing tomorrow morning and I can forget having a peaceful life ever after!' he thought bitterly.

"Nice to know I am being missed." Ryuu quipped Kyouya's words from earlier.

Haruhi was surprised at this, Kyouya was being his indifferent self towards the couple. 'Normally he would be polite and charming towards such influential people, but now he behaved to the point of being rude!' she thought and her confusion was visible on her expression.

Kazumi who took note of Haruhi's confusion said, "It's alright, Kyouya is like a delinquent grandson we never had, so we forgive his insolence."

"Besides we have dealt with his father to let such behaviour unsettle us. Yoshio as an adolescent was a lot worse. Kyouya is rather tame compared to that." Ryuu added

Haruhi was stunned to hear the reply. 'It seems they are very close to the Ootori family than they let on at the party. It seems like they are friends of the family than business associates.' she thought. Then suddenly the thought that she hadn't thanked them for their help flashed through her mind.

She immediately bowed and said, "Thanking for helping me earlier. I am indebted to you!"

Kazumi replied fondly, "Oh don't thank us, Thank your parents were raising you to be a courageous young woman."

If anything, Haruhi's smile got wider at the compliment, which was bestowed on her parents as well. Kyouya could only wonder at how easily Kazumi seemed to reach other people's hearts. 'Now that I think about it, Kazumi and Haruhi are very much similar in that aspect.' he thought.

"I am Haruhi Fujioka." Haruhi said "My friends told me that you both were great lawyers and I-"

Before Haruhi could finish her sentence, Kazumi said, "Great lawyer is that what they call someone who serves as the guard dog of businessmen." Kazumi said, pointedly looking at her husband, " I assure, you young lady there is nothing great about corporate lawyers."

"Someone whose sole purpose in life is to yap all the time thinking they are helping people are no lawyers either. Trust me they are just big mouths with no brains. At least we are guard dogs, are of some use. Civil lawyers are just the type of dogs that bark all the time but can never bite when the time comes." Ryuu said as winked at Haruhi.

Haruhi panicked and tried to bring peace amidst the fighting couple, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I don't want you to fight because of what I said."

"Relax Haruhi. Save your breath. They are like this all the time. They still haven't grown up from their teenage. They just don't know how to express their love for each other, so they resort to insulting each other and their professions to indicate that they care." Kyouya said flippantly.

"And since when did you became an expert on love" Ryuu asked turning his attention back to Kyouya, "If anything you con the innocent girls to make that host club into a profitable business"

Haruhi giggled at the apt description of Kyouya's job at the host club.

"Well, my dear husband, now that he has a girlfriend" Kazumi said slyly gesturing towards Haruhi, "he thinks he knows about love!"

Haruhi blushed at this and was about to correct their misconception when Kyouya said, "Seriously you are worse than Fuyumi nee-san and sometimes I think she has learned the habit of poking into my personal life from you. Now just go home and give your senile minds some rest!"

Tachibana who had arrived by then quietly took his place at the driver seat.

"But we are not senile yet, if we can still realise that you haven't exactly denied what we said." Ryuu replied with a grin.

"But we'll heed the words of the wise and go home" Kazumi added as she climbed into the limo before Kyouya could do or say anything. Ryuu followed her taking advantage Kyouya's momentary shock.

" What happened to your limo. Why the hell are you getting into my limo?"Kyouya asked irately.

"We missed our dear Kyouya, so we wanted to spend some time with you! Don't worry there's enough space for the four of us." Kazumi said.

"And we want to know more about Fujioka-san. Come on in, we won't intrude in case you want to get cosy with your girlfriend, we'll be just silent spectators." Ryuu added cheekily, waggling his eyebrows.

Haruhi laughed as she finally realised the couple were only teasing to get on Kyouya's nerves.

Kyouya on the other hand literally growled as he said, "Both of you need to seriously grow up! Well I am dropping Haruhi at her apartment, so I won't be able to drop you at your place."

"It's okay, we wouldn't mind the delay. In fact, it would be a welcome change. You can drop the young lady at her place first and then drop us at our home before you go back to your mansion." Ryuu replied in a matter-of-fact tone completely ignoring Kyouya's irritation.

"Fine" Kyouya said giving up. But what surprised him was, the moment Haruhi was inside the limo, the couple pulled her and made her to sit in between them.

A few minutes later, it was clear to Kyouya as to why the couple had wanted to travel with him. They were conversing with Haruhi all the while practically ignoring him, asking her questions about her studies, her family and her life.

Ryuu asked Haruhi in the middle of their conversation. "I heard you are an Honour Student at Ouran Academy. So tell me, why did you choose to go the school filled rich snobby, arrogant brats?" Ryuu indicated Kyouya as he said the last part.

Kyouya just huffed at the comment.

"I have myself the same question a lot more times than I could count," she said with a smile, "however, the reason I chose to study at Ouran is because I considered studying there would offer me better chances of getting into a good college so that I can become a lawyer."

"What? Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Kazumi asked, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

"I was about to say that before both of you started fighting." Haruhi pointed out.

"Oh, we were not fighting; we always agree to disagree where our professions are concerned." Kazumi said dismissively.

"So what you want to take up, corporate law or criminal law?" Ryuu asked not realising it would prompt one of the civil law or corporate law arguments with his wife.

Haruhi was hesitant in replying. For one thing, she didn't want them to go bickering again on which is the best. 'And I myself am not so sure. I had wanted to take up civil law like my mother, but now that I have started taking a look into corporate law while I help out Kyouya with contracts and stuff, I find it more interesting' she thought. She cast a sideways glance towards Kyouya asking him for help.

"Right now Haruhi is looking into both civil law and corporate law, but hasn't decided yet. She wishes to take some time before deciding it," Kyouya said and the couple left the matter at that.

"Why do you want to take up law? I mean nowadays youngsters aren't all that into law anymore!" Kazumi asked.

"Well my late mother was a lawyer. I have always wanted to be like her." she replied.

The moment Haruhi said that the couples became quiet, almost too quiet.

"Your dad is an Okama and your mother is lawyer? How did they meet?" Ryuu asked sceptically.

"He was not an Okama when he married her. Actually, he was doing odd jobs at various stores until her death. They met at the party of my dad's friend who, he says, was also his rival in some ways." Haruhi laughed. "My mother was there because my dad's friend also happened to be a brother like figure for her. Another friend of my dad who prided himself in charming ladies had challenged my dad to woo my mother. My mother was widely regarded as a career-oriented woman in the party and everyone knew that she wouldn't fall for sweet talks, flirting or any other romantic gestures. My dad being his usual self accepted the challenge and approached her without thinking."

"Oh I can completely imagine how that would have gone. Ranka-san would have turned into his goofball self and made a fool of himself in front of her." Kyouya added.

"Exactly" Haruhi said with a smile.

"You know Haruhi's father?" Ryuu asked surprised. He could understand Kyouya being friends with the Haruhi but it came as a surprise that he had gone and befriended the girl's father.

"Oh yes! I know him well enough to realise there is a clever and intelligent man hiding beneath the goofball, irresponsible and overdramatic front that he puts up." Kyouya said still remembering how he had been caught by Ranka-san when he was stealing that CD and how he couldn't ever get his hands on it ever again.

Haruhi didn't mind Kyouya's words. She had always been upset that her friends and teachers in middle school only saw her father's front and thought of him as a good for nothing guy when in reality her father was rather intelligent and a hardworking man. She was glad that at least someone besides saw her father for who he really was.

"He sounds like an interesting person! Tell us what happened next" Kazumi urged Haruhi.

"My mom always hates men who seem to have no ambition and waste away their time. She thought my dad was one such guy after his failed attempt at wooing her. She gave him such a verbal lashing that my dad always says that she had literally cut down his ego in half. My dad got angry which made him become his serious self and he retorted. Soon it became a verbal spar. My mom being a lawyer loved it and my dad having never met a woman like her before enjoyed it. Therefore, after that incident every time they met, they had this verbal spar. Eventually, my mom began to appreciate his passion for life and his goofy antics and my dad appreciated her sturdy and strong persona and soon their clash turned into love." Haruhi finished with a smile.

"What's your mother's name? If she was a lawyer, it is possible that we could have met her when she was alive" Ryuu asked her wistfully. The description of her mother sounded somewhat like his own daughter and her okama father's description in his opinion fitted the Akiyama boy. He had always considered his unwanted son-in-law to be a little sissy. He knew he was just nurturing blind hope, but it wouldn't cost him anything to clarify the identities of her parents.

"Her name is Kotoko Fujioka. I am sure you wouldn't have heard of her. She was a good civil lawyer but she wasn't rich as she had taken up many cases without much of a fee!" Haruhi said.

The moment they heard the name 'Kotoko', the husband and wife both paled. However, Kyouya didn't want them to experience the same anguish and pain that he had seen them hiding behind their cheerful façade as grew up. Therefore, he decided to quash the in hope that they would someday meet their grandchild.

He immediately clarified, "Haruhi's maternal grandparents were accountants in the Okinawa. Her paternal grandmother came from a family that treated patients with herbal medicines and acupuncture. Her grandparents shunned her parents' marriage and Ranka-san hasn't had contact with them ever since Haruhi was born."

Haruhi was however stunned at Kyouya's knowledge about her grandparent's whereabouts. She opened her mouth to ask how he knew, however, she suddenly remembered that he also knew who his father's colleagues were. Hence, she kept quiet. It was then that she remembered the vital information that Igarashis had a daughter named Kotoko.

'No wonder they looked so withdrawn when I told them my mother's name. They must have started having hope. No wonder Kyouya gave them the details of my grandparents. It's such a weird coincidence that my parents' first names are the same as well, but they come from a very different world. My parents can never be the heirs of any rich family.' She thought.

However, just like the previous time, when her mind had dispensed the incident as a weird coincident, her lawyer instincts immediately raised the question: why was she so sure that her parents could be never be the heirs of any rich families?

'Yes the first time I heard it, I thought it was just a coincidence. Even then, I had this doubt. And once again that same doubt creeps up.' she thought. Her mom had said that when the mind believes one thing for sure and the heart questions that very same thing, then always one has to trust their heart and dwell deep into the matter to find out the truth. This was the only advice that her mother ever gave her.

Haruhi fell deep into thoughts. 'I don't know anything about my parents' background to be so sure of this. I haven't seen my grandparents. I haven't even seen them even in photographs. Dad was acting weird when I told him about the story of rich couple who had eloped. He sounded anxious and nervous. Besides, Dad has been acting weird ever since Kyouya's father turned up at our apartment. He has gone into the details of Kyouya's business plan. He had informed Kyouya's dad about it. He would have never interfered in anyone's business under normal circumstances.' Haruhi processed every strange activity of her father in her mind.

Kyouya was also deep in thoughts as he was trying to uncover what exactly happened between Ranka-san and his father on that day when he found his father at Haruhi's apartment. 'Ranka- san was calm that day when I found my father at his apartment. Too calm to be considered normal. There was that CD too. If Haruhi could not find that CD in their small house, then he was must have painstakingly hid it. He has been avoiding me ever since then, it's like he is trying to hide something. I just don't understand this whole mess!'

The older couple were also lost in nostalgia, thinking of their lost daughter and their grandchild that they had never seen. Hence, it came as a surprise when the door of the limo was opened by Tachibana.

"What are we already there?" Ryuu asked.

Haruhi was pulled out of her reverie hearing Ryuu's words. she let out a sigh and climbed out of the limo as soon as she could. The others followed her as well.

Ryuu and Kazumi were asking Haruhi about the neighbourhood and she was answering them with a fond tone.

Kyouya however tuned out their conversation as he was busy working out all the eccentricities and ambiguities that surrounded Haruhi's father. He was pulled out of his reverie however, when he heard a loud gasp. He immediately looked at the couple and Haruhi and found them to be deep in a conversation in front of the building.

'It isn't them!' he concluded and looked around. As his eyes scanned the area casually, he found a form hunched and crouched in the alleyway by the side of Haruhi's apartment building. He took a few steps towards the alleyway, pretending to be on a phone call, just to get a closer look at the person who was hiding. Although, he couldn't see the face of the person, he got a clear view of the handbag of the person through his peripheral vision. He would recognise the handbag anywhere as it was Ranka-san's favourite handbag.

'Why is he hiding there?' he thought. 'It isn't like him. He would have openly ambushed anyone who accompanied Haruhi and asked them all sorts of details about them as well as his daughter. Although he doesn't look like it, he's indeed a concerned parent. He always tries his best to not to curb his daughter's independence spirit and yet at the same time he would find out all the details that he could about his daughters whereabouts and her friends.'

That was one of the reasons he got a along well with Ranka-san in the beginning because he was willing to give details of how her daughter coped in the new school which Haruhi voluntarily would never discuss with her father.

He looked back at the trio immersed in the conversation. 'There could be only one possible reason that he is hiding: he doesn't want to be seen by the Igarashi couple. But why? They are practically strangers to him and he isn't the type to shy away from strangers. May be they aren't strangers, maybe he knows them and that's why he's probably hiding not wanting them to see him. And how can a commoner and an okama nonetheless know the Igarashi couple? There can be only one answer. And If my assumption is right then all the anomalies in Ranka-san's character since the day he met my father would make sense.' He thought.

He headed towards the driver's seat and knocked on the window to get Tachibana's attention. Tachibana was surprised to find his employer coming up personally to talk to him, all of a sudden. It seemed like an emergency. He immediately rolled down the window glass. Kyouya leaned down to his face level and whispered in silent tones "Take Ranka Fujioka's records and compare it with Ryoji Akiyama's records."

Tachibana's eyes widened at the instruction. "We have already checked the background of Ranka Fujioka and there seems no connection whatsoever to Ryoji Akiyama." He replied in a bare whisper.

Kyouya shook his head and said, "I am sure that Haruhi's father the real Ryoji Akiyama. Evaluate all the details. Check for falsified records. Track down all the places he lived and all the items he might have pawned or sold. Leave no stone unturned. I want the evidence of Ranka san's true identity as soon as possible." Kyouya ordered. Tachibana nodded.

Kyouya walked back to the trio standing before the building.

"Would you two quit with your questioning already." He said loudly to the couple "She has been through much today and I think it is about time she goes back to her apartment and takes some rest."

"He's right Kazumi. She definitely looks fatigued." Ryuu said, realising that the Haruhi looked exhausted.

"Yes, it was really nice meeting a bold girl like you. I wish we could meet some other time in the future!" Kazumi said with a great longing in her heart. Sensing it her husband immediately came up with an idea.

"Well then, why don't you come to our house for lunch next Friday" Ryuu proposed "I'm sure Kyouya would be glad to bring you to our house and drop you back?"

Haruhi looked at Kyouya and he seemed like he didn't mind, if anything he was smiling pleasantly. Haruhi smiled and replied "Thank you. I'll be there. I'm glad that you've invited me"

"That's settled then!" Ryuu said cheerfully, "Bring your father as well, if you can. We really want to meet the man who raised you."

"Sure."

"Well, goodnight Haruhi, take some rest." Kazumi bade goodbye reluctantly and after some thought she kissed Haruhi's forehead affectionately.

Haruhi suddenly remembered that her mother used to kiss her in the same way.

* * *

><p><strong>The Same Night, Haruhi's Apartment:<strong>

She looked at the dress that she had worn for the party, which now lay crumpled on the floor. On top of it was Kyouya's scarf. She took the scarf and dress and went to the laundry basket. She put the dress inside the basket and went ahead to put the scarf inside as well, but she changed her mind at the last moment and wrapped the scarf around her shoulders.

The bell rang and Haruhi opened the door. The reek of alcohol welcomed her before her father did. 'He's upset or else he wouldn't be drunk. Why is he upset?' Haruhi thought immediately concerned. She stood aside to let him in.

He went straight to the couch to slump on it "you didn't go to sleep yet, Haruhi?" he asked in drunken slur.

"I was about to." She replied and disappointment clearly tarnished her tone at her father's current state.

"So, how was the party?" he prodded.

"It was okay? I'm going to sleep." she replied flippantly.

"Did you meet anyone new?" he pressed.

"I didn't meet any new boy if that's what you want to know!" she said in a stern tone as she went ahead to layout her futon.

"How about anyone old?" he asked again.

"huh?" Haruhi asked genuinely confused.

"You know. This was a different party than….you know….your host club ones…..so I was wondering if…..if ….ummm….met someone older than yourself." He pressed still confusing Haruhi.

Haruhi really looked at her dad confused as to what it was that he was asking about. 'maybe he's just rambling because he's drunk. But why's he drunk. He never drinks unless he's upset about something'

She remembered an incident when she was younger and didn't tell him about the parents' meeting. He had found out about it and he came back home just drunk like this. 'He was rambling like this back then trying to find out if I was ashamed of his profession,. But this time he has absolutely no reason to be so upset.' she thought and dismissed his enquiries.

"Almost everyone at the party were older than me dad. Good night, I am going to sleep."

"Haruhi" he yelled "why are you avoiding your father? Why are you not sharing anything with your father?"

"What do you want now, dad?" she said laying out her futon tired of her dad and his drunken rambling.

"There must have been some interesting people at the party. Why don't you tell me about them?" he pestered.

Haruhi didn't bother replying and went to her futon.

"Murakami-san said that apart from Kyouya there was someone else with you today." He said in an outright desperate tone.

Haruhi realised that her father was lying because Murakami-san, their nosy neighbour had gone to visit his relations in Osaka along with his family. 'But why is he lying? I'm sure none of the neighbours saw us when they dropped me, so no one could have told him. So he had no way of knowing that someone else apart from Kyouya was here unless he had seen it himself.' Then the fact flashed through her mind that her father's shift ended early that day and he had told her he would be home early. She tried to test her theory.

She casually replied, "Kyouya isn't the only one who comes here as I have a whole bunch of friends who pop up at odd times. Therefore, the news of someone new accompanying Kyouya should not surprise or shock you so much that you resort to the influence of alcohol to interrogate me."

"STOP LYING to me. IT WAS THE Ig…I MEAN IT WAS A MARRIED COUPLE WHO ACCOMPANIED KYOUYA. " Ranka shouted for he was angry, upset and anxious and he couldn't digest the fact that his own daughter was keeping things from him. Never before did her independent streak and stubborn attitude of keeping things to herself unsettled him more than now.

Haruhi was stunned into silence. Never before had her father ever shouted at her. It unnerved her, shocked her and scared her speechless. She couldn't process her father's reaction at all; however, her anger at his accusation overcame her shock.

'He has some nerve to accuse me of lying when he had lied in the first place.' She thought 'But if he had seen the couple standing with me. Why didn't he come up and talk to them like he would have done normally. Instead, he chose to spy and then lie to me later and then pester me to get the details about the couple. This isn't like him at all, if he was near the apartment at that time, then why didn't he come home immediately. Why did he drink? Is he upset at seeing me with the couple? But why?'

She bit back the retort 'I'm not the one lying here' and tried to calm herself down.

'It would be of no use if I lost my temper. I have to find out what has wound him up so tightly and why he's prodding into such a trivial matter. It's best to use his inebriation against him' she thought.

"How did you know that people who accompanied Kyouya were a married couple? Did Murakami-san tell you that?" she asked calmly.

"Of course, he did" he replied defensively. If Ranka weren't drunk, he wouldn't have given such a farfetched lie or wouldn't have fallen for such an obvious trap. But in his drunken state, he couldn't process things easily.

"But, what made him think they were a married couple. What gave him that impression? For all you know, they could have been anyone and unmarried."

"Of course, they were a married couple. Anyone with eyes could really see that!" he replied haughtily.

"Really?" Haruhi said trying to sound curious.

"The way they constantly fight and argue and yet at the same they stay so close, it's the sure sign of blissful marriage. You'll understand only when you grow up, Haruhi." He said flippantly as he persisted in his attempt to get to the reason behind their visit, "Now tell me what they were doing here?"

Haruhi was stunned by his reply. She was sure that the couple were only asking her about the neighbourhood and general things when they stood in front of the apartment and at that moment they didn't have one argument.

'How did he know that the couple always fight and yet stay close together? He couldn't have known that fact unless he had known them previously. If he had had their acquaintance, then why did he hide from them? For that matter, how is it possible that he knows them? There's no explanation, unless… unless….' And the names of Kotoko Igarashi and Ryoji Akiyama flashed through her mind.

"Haruhi!" her father called for her attention.

'Is it even possible that my dad is Ryoji Akiyama. No, No…that can't be! That's not possible. But if it were then it would explain all the eccentricities he has been exhibiting since he saw Kyouya's father. Moreover, it would explain why he's so worked up after seeing the couple and why he's drunk. He's trying to find out from me the reason behind their visit.'

"Haruhi. Haruhi. Are you all right. You've been silent! What happened?" Ranka said in a freaked tone.

"Oh, nothing dad! I was just thinking about what they had told me, that's all. And yes they are a married couple, Ryuu and Kazumi Igarashi" She baited her dad and he looked super alert at the declaration.

All his earlier stupor seemed to vanish as he was listening to every word she said with pert attention.

She added, gauging her father's reaction, "and they did say something unbelievable, something so unbelievable that I was almost dumbstruck and shocked-" but her father interrupted her before she could say anything else.

"Haruhi you don't want to believe everything old people say. They are all senile…hahahahahhaha" he laughed it off, "you know they all say crazy things all the time. Don't put much stock in it" he said nervously.

"Actually what they said is the truth!" she said deliberately, seeing his father's face go pale and he looked like a guilty student who has been caught while cheating on a test. 'Serves him right' she thought vindictively, but something in her couldn't see her father's tormented face. So she decided to let him off for the moment.

"They are actually lawyers, both of them and they are very rich! Incredible isn't it to meet such great lawyers who are as wealthy to be on par with elite businessmen. They are also Kyouya's family friends. They dropped me at the apartment before going back to their manor." she said and saw her father sprawl on the couch with a sigh of relief. His earlier demeanour was completely replaced by his usual goofy attitude.

"Yes it is. Now Daddy is going to sleep on the couch. Goodnight, my sweet daughter!" he said in a rather loud voice.

'So he only wanted to know if they had somehow found out about my true identity' she thought morosely before lying down on her futon. She was tired but her brain didn't let her sleep, as there were currently lot of thoughts rushing through it. She wanted to believe that her father was just a commoner but all her gut instincts and her deduction pointed otherwise. Finally after an hour she fell into a fretful sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>The Next Morning, Haruhi's Apartment:<strong>

Haruhi had unusually slept in the next day, as she was both emotionally drained and physically exhausted. She woke up at 11 am in the morning. She noticed that her dad had left a note on the fridge, which said that he had taken over the shift for one of his friend who was sick.

Haruhi got ready for the day and fixed herself some brunch in almost an half dazed state. She was still thinking about events of the day before or rather she was trying to convince herself that it was all rather some twisted coincidence.

'Ahh… it's no use thinking things over. It's getting me nowhere.' she thought and decided to make herself some coffee as she was a having a terrible headache. As she proceeded to the kitchen, she heard someone bellowing her name outside and loudly knocking on her door.

She rushed to the door and opened it only to find the host club king outside her door.

Tamaki had timed his arrival to Haruhi's house around afternoon as he knew that she would be busy in the morning with all her chores. He intended to talk to her freely. However, when she didn't answer her door he began to fear the worst. He had been knocking incessantly for ten minutes. He began calling her name loudly, fearing that she was avoiding him. Finally, when he had decided to break the door open, she opened the door.

Haruhi was startled to see Tamaki standing outside her house. 'Why is here? Is he still after me when he is already engaged? I think I would have to tell him that I don't reciprocate his feelings, today.' She thought. She didn't want him visiting her house and hugging her all the while throwing his romantic overtures at her when he already had a fiancée. It wouldn't bode well for both of them. 'Now that I think about it… he didn't pull me into a hug the moment I opened the door and he looks distraught but calm.' she thought.

"Were you busy or something, Haruhi? I didn't mean to disturb you. I came down here in the afternoon because I thought you'd free now!" Tamaki asked nervously.

Haruhi just gawked at him 'Did he enquire if I was busy? Did he just say that he didn't mean to disturb me? Is he the same Tamaki sempai I know?' she wondered for a few moments silently.

Tamaki was becoming nervous at Haruhi's silence and started fidgeting.

"I wasn't busy. Why would you ask that?" she answered seeing that her friend was getting uncomfortable with her silence. "I have been knocking the door and calling you for nearly 10 minutes!" he said

She coloured immediately as she realised that she was deep into her thoughts that she didn't hear the knock.

"Sorry. I was deep in thoughts that I didn't hear you!" she said.

"Will you not invite me into your home?" he asked hesitantly. It was only then Haruhi realised that she hadn't invited him in and she was standing in the doorway blocking his path.

"Oh, I'm sorry come on in!" she replied as she moved aside to let him in.

There was a very awkward silence between them for a couple of minutes.

"umm..I was about to make coffee, do you want some?" she asked hesitantly.

Tamaki nodded and she went into the kitchen. While she was preparing coffee, she could hear the host club king giving himself a rather loud prep talk. She was torn between amusement at his goofy antics and trepidation at what he was going to tell her.

"Yes, Tamaki! You can do it! Just calm down and Oh No…. Oh No…..I completely forgot what I was going to say….. think…think" he said to himself totally unaware of how loud he was. However, he abruptly cut off his prep talk the moment Haruhi placed a coffee mug on the table in front of him.

Tamaki was looking at the coffee cup figuring out where to begin. He had learned from his father all that his grandmother had done to Haruhi. 'I may as well start saying something…. if I think too much, I'll start losing my courage' he thought.

" Ummm…. Haruhi….. Do you hate me?" he blurted out.

Haruhi was startled, as what he had asked was completely unexpected. She had half feared that he was here to profess his love and half hopeful that he had only come here to apologise. She however, never expected him to ask such a question.

"I don't hate you, Tamaki sempai. What gave you that notion?"

"I mean… after what you went through yesterday, I thought you would… hate me for sure!"

"No I don't hate you sempai, it wasn't your fault! Besides she was only trying to humiliate me, there was not much harm done there!" she said with a smile, trying to help her friend feel better.

"Of course it is my fault! And don't tell me she was only trying to humiliate you. I came to know from my dad that she had threatened you to attend the party and about the drugging and kidnapping incident. I am really really sorry Haruhi. I would have stopped her much earlier if I knew about her true intentions. I realised it very late. Will you forgive me for the trouble I caused you unknowingly?" he was looking her with an earnest and solemn expression.

Haruhi immediately understood the implication of the words 'I would have stopped her much earlier' and she felt really guilty as she realised that Tamaki had agreed to the engagement only to stop his grandmother.

"I don't hold anything against you, sempai. So, truthfully there is nothing to forgive."

"Thanks Haruhi. It's a relief to know that you don't begrudge me. I had feared that you were avoiding me when you didn't open the door for a while" he said.

"You're being overdramatic as always. If I intended to ever avoid you or for that matter anyone in host club, I would have packed up my belongings, gone off to a remote village and changed my identity" she said.

Tamaki took her reply seriously and was bewildered. 'Would she go to such an extent just to avoid us' he thought with remorse.

Haruhi laughed heartily at his shocked expression and she said, "Don't look so shocked sempai! I'm sure unless and until I take such drastic measures, you'll find me out no matter what and pop at my place uninvited."

Tamaki smiled at that. Haruhi was laughing heartily and that was all he wanted at that moment.

"Besides, I have a feeling that even if I do all that, Kyouya would easily track me down within a few days." She added fondly.

Tamaki's smile turned wistful after hearing that and the nagging doubt that there was something between Kyouya and Haruhi which already present in his mind took a deeper root.

'Somehow I get the feeling that it is Kyouya who has become important to her. Important enough to address him informally while she still calls me Tamaki-sempai.' He thought sadly. 'Well, it's no good mulling over this. I'll ask her what her feelings towards me are. If she doesn't feel the same way I do, I'll be glad because it's for the best and she wouldn't suffer. Though, I don't think I can handle her rejection but At least then the hope that I still nurture that someday she would be mine will be destroyed forever'

"Haruhi, can I ask you something?" he asked as he mustered all his courage.

" sure"

He focussed on her face, took a deep breath, and asked, "Do you love me?"

As her smile faded at the question, he added immediately "If you don't, don't say it. Just shake your head. I don't think I can bear to hear your rejection in words"

There were a multitude of emotions that took over Haruhi. She felt relieved and grateful at not having to reject him with words, but also guilt and concern at the pain she would cause her friend inevitably.

She took a deep breath to get control of her emotions and shook her head.

Tamaki had such a melancholic expression, which looked so out of place on his face as she was used to always seeing a happy expression on it.

Haruhi didn't know what to say her friend. Her heart sympathised with him. She always hated giving anyone pain by outright rejecting them. That's why she pretended to be oblivious to everyone's feeling because she felt guilty.

"I'm sorry Sempai." She said

"I'm glad. Haruhi because you wouldn't have to deal with the same heartache that I am going through. Now at least, I can assuage me guilty conscience that I never caused you any heartache!" he said genuinely.

After hearing his reply, her respect for Tamaki rose to a completely new level.

"Sempai when life doesn't give you what you desire, it always means that life has something better waiting for you in the future." She said in order to sooth her friend's obvious agony.

Tamaki just smiled and looked away. He didn't think that he would ever meet someone better than Haruhi. But he stopped himself from voicing his opinion as he didn't want the situation to get any more awkward. 'at least I'm still friends with her and I guess I can be satisfied with her friendship' he thought.

He began drinking coffee to divert his attention from the pain that he was experiencing. He tried to focus on the taste of the coffee and heat of it. He just finished only half of it when Haruhi asked him a question.

"Tell me sempai, did you go with the engagement only to stop your grandmother from harming me in anyway?" She asked him

" Yes" he replied and placed his cup on the table.

"I tried my best to not be the reason that you're forced to do something that you didn't want. That's why I attended the party and stayed there till the end despite what it entailed. But I guess I failed!" she said guiltily, "I'm sorry sempai"

"Don't be silly Haruhi; you're in no way responsible for my decision. I wasn't forced to do it, I did it out of my own volition. I did it to rectify the mistake I committed unwittingly. I have been so blind that I didn't learn anything from my own situation in life!" he said agitatedly, "Suohs aren't supposed to fall in love and I had fallen in love with you despite knowing that and putting you immediately in danger. If it weren't for my being so stupid and ignorant, you wouldn't have been in that situation. So I had to make amends for the mistake that I did"

"Awww…. Such a touching speech!"

Both Haruhi and Tamaki turned to look at the doorway from where the voice had come and they could see someone peeking in through the narrow opening through the doorway. Before either of could react, the door was opened fully and there stood Amaya Kaneko with an impish smile.

Tamaki yelped and immediately staggered backwards and crawled away on hands and knees and his reaction only made Amaya's smile grow wider. Haruhi just sighed and said, "I must have this strange charm of making everyone that I meet pop up at my place uninvited"

"Yep. I still love your brand of humour!" she said as she walked into the house and sat at the place where Tamaki was seated just minutes ago. She began drinking the remaining coffee from the cup that Tamaki had drank from earlier.

Tamaki, who was by now tucked behind the safety of the couch, yelled horrified, "You can't drink that coffee. That's mine. Besides, I drank from it, that's an indirect kiss!"

"This is from the guy who is the president of club that lures innocent young women just so he can satiate his hormone induced mind by flirting with them without a sense of dignity." Amaya replied coolly.

"Yes, but they are all innocent young women and there's nothing about you that's innocent. So put that cup down!" Tamaki replied in a short-lived stroke of bravery.

Amaya pinned him with a bone-melting glare and asked in a saccharine sweet voice, "What was that you said, my dear fiancé?"

Tamaki just completely ducked behind the couch at the threatening tone of her voice and she added, "Be careful of how you address me because I can very well create a big drama with tears to spare and take it as a case to your beloved and ever-controlling grandmother. Do you want me to do that Tamaki- kun?"

She could only hear a muffled 'Sorry. Please don't do that.' from behind the couch in reply.

"That's better!" she chirped happily, finishing the coffee.

Haruhi just smiled at the antics of her friend and his fiancée.

"So tell me, Kaneko-san, Why exactly are you here?" Haruhi asked her.

"Straight to the point, I see. You're no fun and just call me Amaya. To answer your question, I was spying on my fiancé." She said casually.

"Why?"

"Can you blame me? After all, any girl would do the same if she found her fiancé sneaking out of his own house only to go to another girl's place." she said in a very girly and distressed tone. However, her facial expression showed only genuine amusement.

At this, Tamaki immediately looked at her from behind the couch and waved his hands wildly as he said, "It's not like what you think. I swear!"

Haruhi smiled as she said, "Well, You're right any girl would do that. However, you're not just any girl, are you? Tell me the real reason."

"Oh, Haruhi-chan, you're such a spoil sport. I was planning on freaking out Tamaki-kun a bit more." Amaya whined.

"Well, anyway the real reason I was spying was to get to know all his weakness, sore points" she said and looked straight at Tamaki before adding "and also to estimate how long it would take me to make him cancel this engagement on his own."

'Oh! She's so much like Kyouya. I am doomed!' Tamaki thought as heard that.

"But it seems like I don't have to bother since he's obviously in love with you. So I guess eventually unable to overcome his feelings for you; he'll break off the engagement. It saves a whole load of effort for me!" she said dispassionately, "by the way, good for you that you didn't fall for his _so-called charms_, you looked like a person with too much sense anyway!"

"You heard the entire conversation" Tamaki squeaked.

"Of course I did. I'm thorough in whatever I do even if it is something underhanded like spying or snooping." she replied unabashedly.

She was about to say something when the front door was flung open loudly and everyone turned to look at the door only to find a highly annoyed Kyouya standing in the doorway.

Before Haruhi could greet him or say anything, he walked straight to Tamaki and pulled him by the front of his shirt and yelled, "You, moron, do you have any idea what you just did by coming here? Are you so stupid that it doesn't reach through to your thick skull that you were engaged only yesterday and to come to Haruhi's place immediately the next day would be a scandal? Do you have any idea how your grandmother is going to consider this situation?"

Haruhi tried to pry Kyouya away from Tamaki, but failed miserably.

"Calm down Kyouya, Please calm down Kyouya" she begged him repeatedly.

"How do you expect me to calm down Haruhi," Kyouya said as he let go of Tamaki's shirt and looked at her. "It's because of him you're dragged away at knifepoint yesterday." He could hear Tamaki's shocked gasp but didn't bother as he continued, "Now, thanks to him, his grandmother knows that he visited you even after his engagement. Who knows what his grandmother will resort to now?"

Tamaki looked grave and sober. He had tried everything in his power to be careful when he came here. He came to Haruhi's apartment by hiring a commoner transport called 'cab'. 'But I guess I wasn't so good after all Kaneko-san here had easily followed me. I can't believe I caused more trouble for Haruhi!' he thought

Haruhi rubbed Kyouya's hand in a soothing way as she replied, "He only came here to apologise for yesterday and from Amaya's words, I reckon he tried his level best to be stealthy when he came here. It's not his fault, Kyouya."

Haruhi was giving Kyouya a pleading expression as she was rubbing his arm in an attempt to cool him down. Kyouya found the expression highly endearing and amusing. He decided that he wouldn't mind seeing that expression on her face often. It was then he noticed that Haruhi was wearing his scarf, which he had given her the day before. Somehow, the fact that Haruhi consciously chose to wear his scarf was a huge boost to his pride and soon thoughts of Tamaki and his carelessness took a backseat.

Amaya noticed Kyouya's distraction and couldn't help but smile. She also noticed Tamaki's saddened expression and felt that the expression didn't suit him one bit. Thus, she decided to speak for him, only this one time.

"Yes, I assure you, he tried his level best to be inconspicuous" Amaya said with a mild laugh "But, unfortunately for him it wasn't much. He also managed to scare away nearly a dozen cab drivers as they all thought he was mental."

Kyouya had to drag his eyes away from Haruhi to listen to his cousin.

Tamaki perked up from his morose thoughts as he heard Amaya Kaneko's words. He looked at her with wide eyes and she looked at him with an irritated expression and cocked her head slightly towards Kyouya. He was confused for a second at the gesture but then realised that she wanted him to speak up for himself.

'Well, I should at least let Kyouya know that I took efforts even though they were a failure. At the least he should know I'm trying my fair share to make things right and somehow make up for my careless disposition.' he thought.

"I'm sorry Kyouya. But I really tried my best. I made up my bed in such a way that it looked like I was still sleeping before I got out. I climbed down through the window, but it was still a lot tougher than I thought and then I fell down. My hands were scraped as I ran behind the bushes and I tried to hire this commoner transport. No one stopped for half an hour and then this driver stopped but he smelt like rotten fish. Then, I was trying my level best not to vomit and after some time, I had to tell him to stop so that I could get out and puke and then…."he paused as if trying to figure what he really wanted to say.

Haruhi had a smile on her face as she realised that despite berating himself for his grandmother's faults and being heartbroken, Tamaki was essentially the same person and she hoped that he wouldn't change no matter what. 'Tamaki sempai is great just the way he is' she thought.

Whatever remaining anger Kyouya had towards his friend, seemed to melt away at Tamaki's fumbled attempt to defend his actions. 'Moron' Kyouya thought fondly 'Well at least he tried and that speaks more for him. If he has realised the weight of his actions, I'm sure he would do everything in his power to be careful.'

Amaya however was annoyed at her fiancé's eloquence or the lack of it and she irately asked him, "Your point is?"

"What I mean is…..I mean that I was careful even though I am not good at it. Next time, I'll even try harder and I will not intentionally cause harm to anyone!" he said, finally managing to articulate his thoughts well.

Kyouya just patted his shoulder in a 'let's make peace' gesture and said, "I understand you were, Tamaki and I'm glad that you had finally used your brain cells. But you should realise that no matter how much you try, someone or the other would eventually tail you or spy on you as everyone in your house is working for your grandmother. She's planted her people in the school as well. So, your every move will watched and reported to her"

"What?" Tamaki exclaimed in shock, "What do you mean? Is everyone then spying on me every day? I always thought that they were just normal people and I never realised that they would be reporting to my grandmother."

"Yes, Tamaki everyone there is a spy except for Shima-san. She was appointed by your father in the hope that at least there would be one person in that house who would genuinely want your welfare." He said.

Haruhi could only take pity on her friend. Tamaki always believed in the goodness of people and when such news was given to him, she was sure he would be devastated. However, to her surprise, Tamaki looked furious.

'She has meddled enough with my life, this is the last straw.' Tamaki thought angrily, 'I will put an end to all her meddling one way or another'

"Now that she knows I'm here, what would she do? Is there any way we can do something about this?" he asked Kyouya.

"Well, there is one way" Kyouya said, "It's a good thing Kaneko-san followed you because now we can turn the entire situation to our favour."

Haruhi just shook at her as she realised what Kyouya meant by that.

"What do you mean?" Amaya asked bewildered with the fact that there was now an evil glint in Kyouya's eyes.

"Well, now that you are here, you can play of role of doting fiancée which you were doing so well in the party yesterday." Kyouya commanded.

Haruhi lifted the empty cups to put them in the kitchen sink and walked towards the kitchen. Amaya huffed at Haruhi's apparent nonchalance over how things were turning out to be.

"No way, you're going to use my action against me, not going to happen!" she said loudly to Kyouya and crossed her over her chest in defiant stance.

"Oh, yes he is going to! However, I guess it's nice to see him using this tactics on someone else instead of me, for a change." Haruhi said from the kitchen.

Amaya, affronted, marched into the kitchen and said loudly, "As much, I appreciate your sense of humour, you're not helping now! Besides, he cannot make me do anything, as I don't take orders from anyone."

"I wasn't joking Amaya-sempai! And you'll be doing what he has asked of you as he'll come up with a suitable blackmail, right now." Haruhi replied.

Kyouya said with a smirk, "Ah… you know me so well, Haruhi!"

He then addressed his cousin in an admonishing tone," Amaya Kaneko, what do you think your parents will say when they come to know that instead of going to tennis classes every week, you hang out at local art galleries."

"How the hell, do you know that?" she asked exasperatedly.

"I have my ways." He said

"Fine, I'll do it, just tell me how long!" she conceded finally.

"From the moment you step out of this door. Seeing as how his grandmother's men are still in the vicinity, the news of you both getting along will reach her before we arrive at the Suoh second estate. I'll drop you there myself. She will certainly visit you both there to confirm it. Act a while in front of his grandmother and then you can leave." Kyouya said.

"FINE" she replied tersely.

She pinned her fiancé with a glare and directed all her rage over the current situation towards him as she said, "This is all your fault! Thanks to you, I've to waste away my precious time playing as your army candy. For heaven's sake, I had faced that ordeal only yesterday!"

Tamaki's ire grew as she blamed everything on him. "How is it my fault? I didn't ask you to follow me, all the way here! Besides, you're not the only one who's going to suffer. I assure you, I don't like it one bit when you cling to arm and whisper so close to my ear" He said in a disgruntled tone.

"And this is from the guy whose hobby is to make all the girls dote and fawn over him" she replied sarcastically.

"Yes, I like girls fawning over me. However, I don't appreciate the same gesture from devils" Tamaki replied.

"You're so dead!" She replied with venom.

With a quick 'see you later, Haruhi', he dashed out the door. His fiancée followed him out the door, in deliberate steps.

"I better go with them before she decides to kill him" Kyouya joked.

"I don't think she'll kill him yet" Haruhi said as she walked along with the Kyouya to the door.

"Any reason behind that observation?" he asked as he stepped out.

"Well, just the fact that she likes to torment him a lot and therefore she wouldn't let go of him that easily." she joked as she followed Kyouya.

Kyouya laughed at her reply and bid her goodbye. As he was descending the stairs, Haruhi looked at the newly engaged couple standing besides Kyouya's limo. Amaya was clinging to Tamaki's arm and she seemed to be whispering something in his ears.

'I'm pretty sure she's threatening him. It's sad that they fight like cat and mouse all the time, because they really make a cute couple' she thought. Soon, her thoughts wandered to another couple who fought like cat and mouse too. In a flash, all the suspicions she had and possibilities that she conjectured the day before rushed through her mind.

'Damn it! I forgot about it completely.' She thought. She immediately called out to Kyouya and asked him wait. Kyouya waited for her at the end of the staircase and Haruhi ran down to him.

The moment she reached him, he asked, "What's the matter, Haruhi?"

"I just want a small favour from you. Can you give me the details of my grandparents that you have collected?"

"What brought this on?" he asked her out of curiosity.

"Just the fact that I don't know anything about my grandparents. You seemed to know more about them than me. Besides, my dad will not tell me no matter how many times I ask him!" she said in a restrained voice and Kyouya immediately suspected there was more to her request than she let on. However, he didn't press her as he had his own agenda about her grandparents. He pondered for a while about whether it would be wise to give her the obviously falsified details that he had collected about her grandparents when he suspected her real grandparents where someone else.

However, Haruhi had the same pleading expression on her face as earlier, her eyebrows scrunched slightly, her lips parted and her chocolate orbs even more expressive than usual.

He revelled in her expression and replied without thinking, "I'll send you the details by this evening"

Haruhi smiled in triumph and Kyouya cursed himself for agreeing to her wishes without thinking through it properly as he walked towards his limo.


End file.
